Audio recordings from then-President Joe Biden's 2024 interview with special counsel Robert Hur have surfaced publicly for the first time, reigniting debates over Biden's cognitive state during his final year in office.

The audio release follows over a year after the transcript was made public as part of the classified documents investigation. Despite the transcript already being available, the audio adds new fuel to political narratives around the president's mental fitness, Politico reports.

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Conservative advocacy groups like Judicial Watch and the Heritage Foundation had previously filed FOIA lawsuits demanding access to the audio.

While the Biden administration had signaled willingness to release the recordings, control over the files remained with the Department of Justice.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, President Donald Trump distanced himself from the release process, saying the matter was "up to Pam and the group," referring to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Robert Hur concluded his investigation without recommending charges against Biden, noting that the president's recollections were incomplete but not criminal.

Biden previously insisted he did nothing wrong and dismissed criticism of his memory.

His case drew comparisons to Trump's separate classified documents case, which ended after Trump regained office and prosecutors dropped the charges, the report adds.

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