Audio recordings from the special counsel investigation into Joe Biden's handling of classified documents appear set for release after a court rejected his attempt to keep them sealed. The tapes stem from Robert Hur's inquiry into Biden's retention of sensitive material from his time as vice-president, an investigation that proved politically damaging after Hur's report characterised Biden's memory as poor, and their release would give the public direct access to material that has so far only been described in transcript form.

Biden's legal team had sought to block the recordings from being made public, arguing against disclosure, but a court has now dismissed that bid, clearing the way for the tapes to be released. The case follows a long-running freedom of information battle, with media organisations and conservative groups having pushed for access to the underlying audio rather than just the written transcript of Biden's interview with investigators.