President Biden's spokesperson, Ian Sams, held a live question and answer session to address recent concerns regarding the handling of classified information by the President. Sams began by clarifying that out of the extensive 250-page special counsel report, there were only three instances where the President discussed classified material with his ghostwriter. He emphasized that these instances were related to the President's personal diary entries, which he was sharing with the ghostwriter for the purpose of writing a memoir about his life after the death of his son, Beau.
Sams pointed out that the passages from the diaries that were discussed with the ghostwriter did not contain any classified information and were not included in the final published book. He further clarified that the claim of willfully sharing a classified document with the ghostwriter was false. Instead, the President was referring to a handwritten letter he had sent to former President Obama discussing the Afghanistan troop surge, which was his own personal writing.
To provide historical context, Sams mentioned that previous presidents, such as Ronald Reagan, also kept diaries containing classified information. Reagan's diaries were known to contain classified material, and he shared them with others without facing investigation or scrutiny. Sams argued that the practice of presidents keeping personal diaries should be regarded positively, as it allows for reflective decision-making on important issues.
Addressing concerns about sharing rewritten classified material, Sams pointed to the report which concluded that there was no evidence of willful disclosure of national defense information by President Biden to his writing assistant. He highlighted various passages in the report that raised questions about the evidence surrounding the allegations and the President's state of mind.
In response to a question about preventing similar incidents in the future, Sams mentioned that the President would be appointing a task force to review the handling of classified material during transitions. This task force would aim to improve processes and ensure that documents are appropriately returned to the government, addressing a common issue that has been observed in previous administrations.
Overall, Sams aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the allegations and clarify the President's actions regarding classified information. He emphasized the President's commitment to following established protocols and his intention to address any shortcomings identified in the process.
