Biden describes classified files found at his home, office as likely 'stray papers' from 1974

President Biden has been circumspect in his comments about classified documents found in an office he used after his vice presidency and at his Delaware home, saying he has been advised against saying anything that may affect a federal investigation into the documents. Biden repeated that disclaimer in an interview with PBS NewsHour's Judy Woodruff on Wednesday, but he did provide some clues as to what his lawyers and the FBI found in his old files.
"The best of my knowledge, the kind of things they picked up are things that — from 1974, stray papers," Biden said near the end of a 20-minute interview in DeForest, Wisconsin. "There may be something else, I don't know." The public assumption has been that the classified papers date from his time as vice president, from 2009 to 2017, but he was two years into his first term in the Senate in 1974.
As to how classified documents ended up in his home and office, Biden said the people who packed up his vice presidential office "didn't do the kind of job that should've been done, to go thoroughly through every single piece of literature that's there." Unlike former President Donald Trump, Biden "volunteered to open every single aperture" to the FBI, he said. When Woodruff asked about his comment that Trump was "reckless" with classified documents, Biden noted the top secret markings on the files the FBI recovered from his Mar-a-Lago office and storage room.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Gavin Newsom mulls California redistricting to counter Texas gerrymandering
TALKING POINTS A controversial plan has become a major flashpoint among Democrats struggling for traction in the Trump era
-
6 perfect gifts for travel lovers
The Week Recommends The best trip is the one that lives on and on
-
How can you get the maximum Social Security retirement benefit?
the explainer These steps can help boost the Social Security amount you receive
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing line
Speed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein files
speed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
Judge nixes wiping medical debt from credit checks
Speed Read Medical debt can now be included in credit reports
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for Arizona
Speed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year
-
US inflation jumps as Trump tariffs 'bite'
Speed Read Consumer prices are climbing and the inflation rate rose to its highest level in four months
-
SCOTUS greenlights mass DOE firings
Speed Read The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to further shrink the Education Department