Former President Joe Biden’s lawyers race against a Tuesday deadline to block the Trump Department of Justice from releasing 70 hours of audio capturing him sharing classified details with his ghostwriter—what explosive secrets hide in those tapes?
Story Snapshot
- Biden’s team intervenes in Freedom of Information Act lawsuit to halt DOJ release of redacted 2017 audio and transcripts with ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer[1].
- Recordings from memoir “Promise Me, Dad” surfaced in Special Counsel Robert Hur’s classified documents probe, revealing Biden discussed sensitive Afghanistan materials.
- DOJ plans disclosure to Congress and public by June 15 unless blocked, citing public interest after lengthy negotiations[1].
- Zwonitzer deleted original audio post-Hur appointment but preserved transcripts with Biden’s admissions like finding “classified stuff downstairs”.
- House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Zwonitzer in 2024 for non-compliance, escalating transparency demands.
Origins of the 70-Hour Recordings
In 2017, Joe Biden recorded over 70 hours of conversations with ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer for his memoir “Promise Me, Dad.” These sessions captured Biden recounting his vice presidential experiences, including notes from the White House Situation Room on the Afghanistan troop surge. Special Counsel Robert Hur’s team recovered the audio during the 2023-2024 probe into Biden’s retention of classified documents at his Delaware garage and Penn Biden Center office.
Hur’s February 2024 report detailed Biden reading classified passages “nearly verbatim, sometimes for an hour or more at a time,” at least three times to the uncleared Zwonitzer. The ghostwriter deleted raw audio files weeks after Hur’s January 2023 appointment, citing hacking fears and privacy, though he retained incriminating transcripts[2].
Legal Battle Ignites Under Trump DOJ
The Heritage Foundation’s Mike Howell filed a Freedom of Information Act request, prompting the Trump-era Department of Justice to prepare redacted releases to Congress and plaintiffs. Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate’s May 2026 filing confirmed Biden’s counsel intends to intervene by Tuesday, May 13, potentially delaying disclosure to June 15[1].
DOJ does not oppose the intervention but noted Biden’s late objection after months of negotiations. Biden spokesperson TJ Ducklo argued Biden cooperated with Hur on condition of non-publication, claiming the tapes serve “no public interest” and the push is “about politics”[1]. Shumate countered that Biden shifted position to block even phrases matching the Hur report[1].
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan subpoenaed Zwonitzer in March 2024 after he failed to produce recordings despite Hur referencing them. Republicans frame this as evidence destruction tied to Biden’s $8 million memoir deal.
Hur Report Reveals Classified Discussions
Robert Hur’s primary report found insufficient evidence to charge Biden, citing DOJ policy against indicting a sitting president and juror sympathy for an “elderly man with a poor memory.” Yet it highlighted “significant evidentiary value” in the recordings, including Biden’s 2017 admission of finding “all the classified stuff downstairs”.
Zwonitzer told investigators he preserved transcripts with Biden’s most damaging statements, inconsistent with obstruction intent. Hur accepted “plausible, innocent reasons” for deletions but noted timing post-appointment raised questions. Biden took steps to shield classified notebook sections, per the report.
Biden Moves to Block Release of 70 Hours of Audio Recordings With Ghostwriter https://t.co/p6uykSoiyY
— Rachel Morse (@rm36863307) May 10, 2026
Conservatives see hypocrisy: Biden invoked executive privilege in 2024 to block his Hur interview audio, upheld by Garland’s DOJ, yet now fights transparency under Trump. Common sense demands release—voters deserve unfiltered insight into a leader who shared war secrets for a book profit. Facts align with accountability over privilege.
Stakes for Transparency and Accountability
Release could expose verbatim classified recitations, testing Hur’s no-intent finding. Biden’s block echoes past administrations’ privilege claims, but post-presidency status weakens his case. Public interest weighs heavy: these tapes illuminate mishandling risks, from garage storage to ghostwriter shares[1].
Partisan lines sharpen—Democrats cry revenge, Republicans demand truth. Historical precedents like Nixon tapes affirm sunlight disinfects. If courts side with Biden, it shields elite errors; approval unleashes raw evidence, fueling debates on memory, judgment, and security.
Sources:
[1] Hur confirms Biden’s ghostwriter destroyed evidence after special …
[2] Biden’s ghostwriter deleted recordings, special counsel was told
