US President Joe Biden Questioned Over Classified Documents Found At His Office, Home

US President Joe Biden has been interviewed for two days over classified documents that were found at his office and home after his vice-presidency.

United States President Joe Biden was questioned by a special counsel in the investigations into his handling of classified documents after his tenure as Vice President in 2017. Biden was interviewed over a period of two days (Sunday and Monday). He voluntarily met Special Counsel Robert Hur at the White House, reported BBC citing President's spokesperson, Ian Sams. The said documents were found at Biden's office which he used after departing the vice-presidency, and before he announced his candidature for the US presidency. 

According to BBC, the president's lawyers said, the first set of classified documents was found on November 2 at the Penn Biden Center, a think-tank Biden founded in Washington DC. Another batch of classified records was found on December 20 in the garage at his Wilmington home. A third set was found in a storage space at the house on January 12. 

Biden has denied having any knowledge of the documents that were found at his office and home. Meanwhile, his spokesperson said that the White House was fully cooperating in the probe. 

"As we have said from the beginning, the President and the White House are cooperating with this investigation, and as it has been appropriate, we have provided relevant updates publicly, being as transparent as we can consistent with protecting and preserving the integrity of the investigation," Sams told reporters, as quoted by BBC. 

This comes after former US President and Biden's closest challenge for the 2024 presidential race, Donald Trump was indicted in a similar case of allegedly keeping the classified documents at his Florida home.

Reuters reported that Biden's interview suggests that the probe may have advanced to its final stages. The report mentioned that Biden has said he was surprised by the discovery of classified files and expected it would eventually be deemed inconsequential. 

The report added that under the Presidential Records Act, White House records are supposed to go to the National Archives once an administration ends.

But sources have previously told CNN and the New York Times that the first set of 10 classified documents included briefing materials on foreign countries - including Ukraine, Iran and the United Kingdom - from Mr Biden's time as vice-president.

And according to CNN, these documents were mixed in with other non-classified papers, including details about the funeral of Beau Biden, the president's son, who died in 2015. It also reported that some of the documents were labelled as top secret, the highest level of classification.

 

Trump And Classified Documents Case

Former US President Donald Trump was indicted in a separate investigation and is facing seven charges related to the documents, including wilfully retaining national defence secrets in violation of the Espionage Act. Trump is also accused of attempting to obstruct the official investigation.

However, the former Republican President has maintained that it was his right to keep the documents. He is set to go on trial in Miami in May, BBC reported.