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Biden, who is expected to announce a re-election campaign in the coming weeks or months. It has stripped him and fellow Democrats of a weapon against former President Donald Trump, who also had classified documents found at his home.

Trump has launched his own re-election campaign and could face Biden in the 2024 general election.

Bauer said the Department of Justice chose to do the search without advance notice to the public.

“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,” he said.

“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 of today’s search.”

Classified documents have also been found in the home of Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, giving some political cover to Biden.