A US Department of Justice report on Thursday cast Joe Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” in a damaging portrayal of the president even as he was spared from criminal charges following a months-long probe.
The report from special counsel Robert Hur, who oversaw the DoJ’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified materials found at his private residences and offices, concluded that Biden, 81, had “wilfully retained and disclosed” sensitive documents but would not face criminal charges as a result.
While the report said Biden would not face a potentially embarrassing criminal case, it said the president’s “memory was significantly limited” during interviews with Hur’s office in 2023, as well as with a ghostwriter working on his memoir in 2017. The president is facing concerns about his advanced age as he tries to convince voters to give him another four years in the White House.