A divided federal appeals court rejected Joe Biden's bid to block the release of audio recordings and transcripts from interviews with his memoir ghostwriter, though the ruling was stayed until 3 August 2026 to allow further appeal.
The 2-1 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit found substantial public interest in disclosing the materials, concluding that redactions would adequately protect Biden's privacy. Judges Sri Srinivasan and Gregory Katsas formed the majority, while Judge Florence Pan dissented, arguing Biden retains significant privacy interests in conversations recorded at his home during a criminal investigation that produced no charges.
The recordings stem from 2016 and 2017 interviews conducted by Mark Zwonitzer for Biden's memoir "Promise Me, Dad". Special counsel Robert Hur obtained the materials during his investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents. The Heritage Foundation filed a public records request for the recordings after Hur's report was released in 2024.