The White House defended President Joe Biden’s decision to grant a pardon to his son, Hunter Joe Biden, after facing criticism from both political sides. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre explained on Monday that the president had acted out of concern that Hunter would continue to face undue political persecution. The move followed growing backlash from both Democrats and Republicans, despite Joe Biden’s previous statements indicating he would not pardon his son.
President Joe Biden signed an unconditional pardon for Hunter on Sunday, asserting that he believed his son had been unfairly targeted and selectively prosecuted by his political opponents. He emphasized that Hunter’s legal troubles were part of a broader effort to politically undermine the Joe Biden family. The president had previously stated, including in a June interview with ABC News, that he would rule out a pardon for Hunter. However, the sudden reversal has sparked widespread debate.
Hunter Biden had faced charges related to tax offenses and gun violations. Republicans in Congress had long accused him of using his father’s name to secure business deals, though investigations failed to prove any direct link between his actions and the president’s influence. Despite this, Hunter remained under intense scrutiny from GOP lawmakers.
In her defense of the president’s decision, Jean-Pierre noted that one of the reasons for the pardon was the belief that Hunter would continue to suffer political attacks from his adversaries, even after Joe Biden leaves office in January. She explained, “It didn’t seem like his political opponents would let go of it. They would continue to go after his son.” Jean-Pierre also pointed out that pardoning family members was not unprecedented, citing previous instances such as Bill Clinton pardoning his half-brother Roger Clinton and Donald Trump pardoning his son-in-law’s father, Charles Kushner.
The decision to pardon Hunter Biden has not been without controversy. Some Democrats have voiced concern that it could undermine public confidence in the rule of law, a concept frequently championed by the Biden administration, especially in its criticism of former President Donald Trump. Republicans, meanwhile, have seized upon the move to accuse Joe Biden of corruption.
Hunter Biden had pleaded guilty to federal tax charges in September and was scheduled for sentencing on December 16. He was also set to be sentenced for making false statements during a gun background check, for which he was found guilty in June. Despite the pardons, Joe Biden reiterated that his son was unfairly singled out due to political motivations.
Late on Sunday, Hunter Biden’s attorney filed a motion to dismiss the indictments against him, signaling that the legal battle is far from over.
