Judge rules DOJ can release Biden audio recordings, transcripts to Heritage Foundation in special counsel probe

A federal judge ruled Friday that the DOJ can release audio recordings and transcripts of former President Biden's conversations with his memoir ghostwriter to the Heritage Foundation, though a three-week pause allows time for Biden's appeal. Judge Dabney Friedrich found that the public's interest in the disclosure outweighed Biden's privacy claims, noting that DOJ redactions removed sensitive information about family and other private persons, and emphasized that public figures retain only limited privacy protections. The Hill's reporting is sourced from the actual 26-page court order, includes direct quotes from Judge Friedrich, and accurately reflects the court's reasoning alongside the timeline of the case—from the 2024 Heritage Foundation lawsuit through Trump's DOJ reversal in February and Biden's subsequent May lawsuit. Corroborating coverage from ABC News, CBS News, and Politico confirms the ruling's core facts, though framing varies slightly (Newsweek emphasizes the ruling as a "blow" to Biden while other outlets present it more neutrally). Watch for the D.C. Court of Appeals' consideration of Biden's challenge during the three-week window and any subsequent action by the DOJ or Heritage Foundation after that period expires.