Joe Biden interviewed over handling of classified documents

US president Joe Biden has been interviewed as part of the investigation into how classified documents ended up at his home and in an office that he used.

The White House said Mr Biden spoke with special counsel Robert Hur over two days on Sunday and Monday.

Mr Hur was appointed last January after the president’s lawyers told the Department of Justice they had found a number of classified documents intermingled with other papers in a storage area when they were clearing out an office at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement in Washington.

Subsequently, several other classified documents were discovered after a search at Mr Biden’s house in Delaware.

Bruce Springsteen concert in Cork: Tell us your verdict

---

‘I do God’: London mayor Sadiq Khan on religious faith, meeting the Pope and the fight to save the planet

---

Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft review – Her third album is not quite a genre bender, but this star is growing in sophistication

---

Rebel Spanish nuns split with Vatican amid property spat

---

Mr Hur’s investigation is separate to that carried out by another special counsel into former president Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents that he took from the White House to Mar-a-Lago, his residence and club in Florida.

Special counsel Jack Smith during the summer charged Mr Trump in relation to unauthorised retention of national security secrets, obstruction and other issues. Mr Trump has denied all charges made against him.

A spokesman for the White House counsel’s office said: “The president has been interviewed as part of the investigation being led by special counsel Robert Hur. The voluntary interview was conducted at the White House over two days, Sunday and Monday, and concluded Monday. As we have said from the beginning, the president and the White House are co-operating with this investigation, and as it has been appropriate, we have provided relevant updates publicly, being as transparent as we can consistent with protecting and preserving the integrity of the investigation.

“We would refer other questions to the justice department at this time.”

Mr Biden has said he was surprised by the discovery of classified materials at his home and office, and said he expected the matter would eventually be deemed inconsequential.

Meanwhile, as the US House of Representatives remained paralysed due to the absence of a speaker, Kevin McCarthy – the former holder of the post – indicated he might be willing to take up the role again.

Mr McCarthy was ousted as speaker last week as right-wing members of his Republican Party in the House rebelled against him in a dispute over the US government budget for next year.

Two other candidates from the party in the House of Representatives have put their names forward for the position.

Asked in a radio interview on Monday about a possible return to the post, Mr McCarthy said: “Whatever the conference wants, I will do.”

Mr McCarthy later repeated this position when he spoke at a press conference in the US Capitol where he released a five-point plan to support Israel.

Asked if he wanted to take back the speaker’s gavel, Mr McCarthy said the decision was not up to him, and that he would support whatever his fellow Republicans wanted.