Biden sues US justice department to block release of recordings

May 27, 2026

Former President Joe Biden has filed a lawsuit against the federal government to prevent the release of audio recordings from interviews he conducted with his memoir ghostwriter in 2017. Special Counsel Robert Hur obtained these recordings during an investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents, and his report suggested the interviews revealed significant memory limitations and cognitive decline. While the Justice Department under Biden sought to protect the recordings on privacy grounds, the current Trump administration has reversed course and plans to release them by June 15th in response to requests from House Republicans and a conservative organization.

Who is affected

Former President Joe Biden
Mark Zwonitzer (Biden's memoir ghostwriter/co-writer)
House Republicans (on three congressional committees)
The Heritage Foundation (conservative think tank)
Special Counsel Robert Hur
The Justice Department
The American public

What action is being taken

Former President Biden is suing the federal government to block the release of the recordings
The Justice Department is fighting to release the audio recordings to the public
The Justice Department has indicated they will release the recordings by June 15th

Why it matters

This case represents a significant legal and political conflict over presidential privacy rights versus government transparency. The recordings potentially contain evidence of cognitive decline in a former president dating back to before his presidential campaign, which could have major implications for public understanding of his fitness during his term in office. The lawsuit also highlights the stark shift in Justice Department policy between administrations and raises important questions about what private information from government investigations can be disclosed to the public. Additionally, the case touches on accountability issues regarding how much the American people should know about their leaders' mental acuity.

What's next

The Justice Department plans to release the recordings by June 15th
The lawsuit will proceed through the courts to determine whether the release can be blocked

Read full article from source: BBC