United States President, Joe Biden, announced on Sunday a full and unconditional pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, absolving him of federal tax and gun convictions.
This move reverses Biden’s prior stance and marks a significant decision as he prepares to leave the White House.
“Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” Biden confirmed in a statement.
The clemency document explicitly covers existing charges and any federal offenses committed between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024—a period that includes Hunter’s controversial business dealings in Ukraine and China.
The pardon also shields Hunter from potential future prosecutions during this timeframe.
Hunter Biden’s legal team promptly informed judges overseeing his cases, seeking the dismissal of charges and cancellation of sentencing hearings set for mid-December.
“This pardon requires dismissal of the indictment against him with prejudice,” his lawyers argued in court filings.
The decision to pardon Hunter represents a stark departure from Biden’s repeated promises not to intervene. Before and after withdrawing from the 2024 presidential race, Biden had publicly stated that he would not pardon his son.
However, with Donald Trump’s election victory and growing Republican scrutiny, Biden reassessed his position.
In a heartfelt statement, Biden cited “selective, and unfair, prosecution” of his son as the driving force behind his decision. “Hunter was treated differently,” he insisted, attributing the charges to political motivations. “I believe raw politics has infected this process and led to a miscarriage of justice.” He emphasized that his son was targeted to undermine his presidency, asserting, “Hunter was singled out only because he is my son.”
Trump, reacting to the pardon, condemned it as “an abuse and miscarriage of Justice.”
In a social media post, he sarcastically questioned whether the pardon extended to his supporters involved in the January 6 Capitol riots, whom he has vowed to pardon.
Biden’s pardon follows the precedent set by previous presidents, including Bill Clinton and Trump, who granted clemency to family members.
Jeffrey Crouch, a clemency expert, criticized Biden’s action, stating, “Presidents should not use clemency to help out their friends, family, and allies.”
Hunter Biden, in a statement, acknowledged his past mistakes and expressed gratitude for the pardon.
“I have admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction,” he wrote, adding that he would dedicate his life to supporting others in recovery.
Hunter’s legal troubles stemmed from a gun-related conviction and unpaid taxes amounting to $1.4 million. His addiction and lavish lifestyle were central to both cases. Despite arguments from his legal team about selective prosecution, judges rejected these claims as “nonsensical.”
Biden defended his son’s circumstances, highlighting that similar cases often result in civil penalties rather than criminal charges.
He noted that Hunter had repaid his taxes and that the gun charges were atypical, lacking “aggravating factors” like violent crime.
Sources close to the president revealed that Biden’s decision solidified during Thanksgiving, as he spent time with his son in Nantucket. The family’s closeness and Biden’s belief that Republicans were attempting to “break Hunter” influenced his choice.
“He feels Hunter was targeted cruelly,” a White House official disclosed. “Once he made the decision, there was no sense in delaying it.”
In a deeply personal conclusion, Biden reiterated the emotional toll on his family and the importance of justice. “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision,” he said.
