The US Justice Department is conducting a search of a beach house owned by President Joe Biden in Delaware.

A statement from Bob Bauer, personal attorney for the President, read: “Today, with the President’s full support and cooperation, the DOJ 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 of today’s search.”

The FBI has yet to comment on the search.

It comes after Mr Biden’s lawyer last month confirmed that six further documents containing classification markings were found at Biden’s home in Wilmington, Delaware.

Previously, Mr Biden’s legal team acknowledged it had found classified documents relating to his time as vice-president in the Obama administration at his home, including some in his garage.

Joe Biden: White House says six more classified documents found in search of US president’s home

Joe Biden: White House says more classified documents found at president’s Delaware home

Special counsel appointed to investigate classified documents found in Joe Biden’s home and former office

Aides previously found another batch of classified documents at a Washington think-tank he was associated with.

The apparent mishandling of classified documents and official records from the Obama administration is under investigation by a former US attorney, Robert Hur, who was appointed as a special counsel in January by Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Republicans have sought to compare the investigation of Mr Biden’s handling of classified documents to the ongoing probe into how former president Donald Trump handled classified documents after his presidency.

Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

The White House, however, says the two cases are different because Biden’s team has cooperated with authorities in their probe and turned over documents.

Mr Trump had resisted doing so until an FBI search at his Florida home.

A special counsel will also review Trump’s handling of classified documents.

The DOJ historically imposes a high legal bar before bringing criminal charges in cases involving the mishandling of classified information, with a requirement that someone intended to break the law as opposed to being merely careless or negligent in doing so.

The National Archives has reportedly asked all former U.S. presidents and vice presidents to search their personal records for classified documents or other presidential material that should have been turned over when they left office.

It is unlawful to knowingly or willfully remove or retain classified material, although no current or former president or vice president has been charged with wrongdoing.

Related posts:

Kan(Ye) brings estranged wife Kim Kardashian on stage in wedding dress at latest Donda event ‘Life-altering’ storm to hit New Orleans on Hurricane Katrina’s 16th anniversary Ida makes landfall as ‘extremely dangerous’ category four storm – National Hurricane Center The second home of ‘Satchmo’ gone: Hurricane Ida rips at the jazz heart of New Orleans US DoJ urges court to investigate Maxwell juror who was ‘victim of sexual abuse’ Three white men who chased and shot black man out running sentenced to life in prison ‘How to murder your husband’ blog post cannot be shown to jury in author’s murder trial, judge rules US abortion debate promises a noisy and divisive road ahead Buffalo shooting ‘carried out by sick, demented individual fuelled by diet of hate’ who is now on suicide watch Boy, 6, who shot teacher used mother’s gun – as police reveal more details of shooting Harry says ‘dangerous lie’ told about his book – and claims Taliban remarks were taken out of context American football player Damar Hamlin who suffered cardiac arrest mid-game is released from hospital