Quick Hit:

The Justice Department has refused to release the audio of President Biden’s interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur, citing concerns about potential deepfakes. Critics argue the move is to protect Biden from embarrassment.

Key Details:

• The DOJ claims releasing the audio could lead to malicious manipulation using deepfake technology.
• Biden has exercised executive privilege to keep the recording from the public.
• The transcript of the interview revealed several embarrassing moments for Biden, who was described as forgetful and confused.

Diving Deeper:

In a controversial decision, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has refused to release the audio recording of President Joe Biden's interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur, citing the potential threat of deepfakes. The refusal was outlined in a Friday court filing as part of an ongoing legal challenge against Biden's efforts to exercise executive privilege over the recording.

The DOJ argued that the release of the audio would significantly increase the risk of malicious manipulation. Associate Deputy Attorney General Bradley Weinsheimer stated, "The passage of time and advancements in audio, artificial intelligence, and ‘deep fake’ technologies only amplify concerns about malicious manipulation of audio files. If the audio recording is released here, it is easy to foresee that it could be improperly altered, and that the altered file could be passed off as an authentic recording and widely distributed."

President Biden’s administration is under intense scrutiny from conservative legal groups and House Republicans, who are pushing for the release of the audio. They argue that the public has a right to hear the recording, especially after the transcript revealed several embarrassing moments for the president. The transcript depicted Biden as a forgetful elderly man who struggled to recall key details about his life, including his time as vice president and the year of his son Beau Biden’s death.

Biden’s five-hour interview with Hur, conducted last year, focused on his handling of classified documents. Hur's report, released earlier this year, portrayed Biden as well-meaning but mentally compromised. The report highlighted multiple instances where Biden could not remember important details, raising concerns about his cognitive abilities.

The refusal to release the audio has fueled speculation among Republicans that the transcript may have been edited to prevent further embarrassment for Biden. Some suggest that the full audio could reveal discrepancies between what was said and what was documented. Despite these allegations, Weinsheimer maintained that only minor adjustments were made to the transcript, such as removing repeated and filler words.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., criticized Biden’s decision to exert executive privilege over the recording, stating, "President Biden is apparently afraid for the citizens of this country and everyone to hear those tapes. They obviously confirm what the special counsel has found and would likely cause, I suppose, in his estimation, such alarm with the American people that the president is using all of his power to suppress their release."

Biden was reportedly outraged by Hur’s report, which depicted him as mentally incompetent. He has since made several false statements regarding his interview, including a claim that Hur brought up the topic of his son's death, despite the transcript showing that Biden himself raised the subject.

The DOJ’s refusal to release the audio only adds to the controversy surrounding Biden’s handling of classified documents and his cognitive abilities. As the legal battle continues, the American public remains divided, with many questioning the transparency and motives behind the administration's actions.