Biden Confronted About Classified Docs Revelation, Says Was ‘Surprised’ Records Were Taken

President Joe Biden answered a question Tuesday about Monday’s revelation that he had taken classified documents home with him and that they ended up at one of his private offices.

“Can you explain how classified documents ended up in one of your offices? And should the public have been notified sooner?” asked a reporter for the Associated Press during a joint press conference with the presidents of Mexico and Canada.

“And so first, let me get rid of the easy one first. People know I take classified documents, classified information seriously,” replied Biden.

“When my lawyers were clearing out my office at the University of Pennsylvania, they set up an office for me. Secure office in the Capitol. When I ran, the four years after being vice president, was a professor at Penn. They found some documents in a box. You know locked cabinet? Or at least a closet,” Biden continued, adding:

And as soon as they did, I realized there were several classified documents in that box. And they did what they should have done. They immediately called the archives, immediately called the archives, turned them over to the archives.

And I was briefed about this discovery and surprised to learn that there are any government records that were taken there to that office. But I don’t know what’s in the documents. I’ve my lawyers have not suggested I ask what documents they were. I’ve turned over the boxes. They’ve turned over the boxes to the archives. And we’re cooperating fully, cooperating fully with the review, and which I hope will be finished soon. And there’ll be more detail at that time.

Biden has been critical of former President Donald Trump whose Mar-a-Lago residence was raided last August after Trump’s team told the National Archives no more documents were there – which turned out to be false.

The topic has become a hot-button issue on Capitol Hill as the new GOP-led House is gearing up to conduct an investigation.

Watch the full clip above via CNN