President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden after repeatedly denying he would do so in his final weeks as president.
Hunter was convicted on federal gun and tax fraud charges by separate juries in June and September 2024. He was convicted on three felony tax evasion charges and six misdemeanor tax offenses for evading $1.4 million in taxes he owed for 2016 through 2019.
As recently as last month, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden had no intentions of pardoning Hunter before leaving The White House.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Biden said in part, “Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.”
The sweeping pardon covers any and all crimes Hunter may have committed from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024.
The pardon sent shockwaves through Washington, D.C. on Sunday. Democrats and the news media reacted strongly to Biden’s announcement.
“Hunter Biden joined the board of Burisma in 2014,” wrote conservative commentator Liz Wheeler. “By pardoning Hunter for any crimes he ‘may have committed’ from 2014-2024, Joe Biden is protecting his family’s criminal cartel. Wow.”
Wheeler suggested that Biden is protecting Hunter from Donald Trump’s new FBI director Kash Patel.
“Truly incredible that Joe Biden pardoned Hunter starting in 2014 — the year he was appointed a board member of Burisma,” wrote Greg Price. “You can’t make it up.”
A White House official denied rumors that Biden pardoned his son to shield him from any future FBI investigations led by Kash Patel.
“No – this is in response to what has already happened in this case, in which political pressure has resulted in a miscarriage of justice,” said the official.
A representative for President-elect Donald Trump suggested that the incoming president agrees with Biden’s pardon. Most fathers would do the same for their sons.
