FBI agents are searching a beach house belonging to Joe Biden as part of an investigation into the potential mishandling of classified documents, the US President’s lawyer said on Wednesday.
Bob Bauer said: “Today, with the President’s full support and cooperation, the DoJ [Department of Justice] is conducting a planned search of his home in Rehoboth, Delaware.
“Under DoJ’s standard procedures, in the interests of operational security and integrity, it sought to do this work without advance public notice, and we agreed to cooperate.
“The search today is a further step in a thorough and timely DoJ process we will continue to fully support and facilitate. We will have further information at the conclusion.”
An FBI source later told CNN the search had been completed and no classified documents had been found.
It was the latest uncomfortable development for Mr Biden as he prepares to launch his re-election campaign later this month. He had previously condemned his predecessor, Donald Trump, as irresponsible after classified documents were found at his home in Florida.
The White House had previously said no classified documents had been found at the property in Rehoboth Beach. It was not immediately clear whether any additional classified documents were found by the FBI on Wednesday.
Mr Biden has spent many weekends at the $2.7 million, six-bedroom beach house during his presidency. He was not there last weekend, having opted to travel instead to the presidential retreat at Camp David in Maryland.
The search followed a 13-hour, top-to-bottom review of Mr Biden’s other home in Wilmington, Delaware on Jan 20. On that occasion, agents located additional documents with classified markings and also took possession of some of his handwritten notes.