President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he has pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who was facing sentencing this month for federal tax and gun convictions. This decision marks a significant turnaround for the president as he prepares to leave office.
“Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” the president stated. This pardon is described as “full and unconditional,” according to the executive grant of clemency released by the White House. Importantly, this clemency cannot be revoked by President-elect Donald Trump.
By issuing this pardon, Joe Biden has gone back on a previously articulated commitment made repeatedly before and after he exited the 2024 presidential race when he stated unequivocally, including following Trump’s victory, that he would not pardon Hunter Biden or reduce his sentence. The pardon effectively means Hunter Biden will not be sentenced for his offenses and eliminates the possibility of imprisonment, which had been a concern. Judges overseeing his cases are likely to cancel the scheduled sentencing hearings set for December 12 for the gun case and December 16 for the tax case.
The pardon covers Hunter Biden’s tax and gun offenses connected to his existing legal troubles, as well as any potential federal crimes he might have committed from January 1, 2014, to December 1, 2024. This timeframe notably encompasses his entire tenure on the board of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma and much of his other international dealings, including in China. Hunter Biden has faced scrutiny regarding his controversial foreign business engagements, and Trump has consistently argued for his prosecution over his activities in Ukraine and elsewhere.
On Sunday evening, Hunter Biden’s legal team formally notified judges in his criminal cases of the pardon, and the younger Biden stated in a sworn affidavit that he has accepted his father’s clemency. New court filings from his lawyers indicated that the pardon “requires dismissal of the indictment against him with prejudice and adjournment of all future proceedings.”
In his statement, President Biden justified the pardon by asserting that his son was “selectively and unfairly prosecuted,” claiming that “Hunter was treated differently” than individuals who committed similar offenses. He accused political opponents in Congress of instigating the charges as part of a strategy to undermine him and oppose his election.
“I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe that raw politics has tainted this process and led to a miscarriage of justice,” Biden stated. He expressed a hope that Americans would understand his decision as both a father and a president.
Biden further asserted that Hunter Biden was “singled out” for prosecution solely because he is his son—claims that have been previously refuted by two federal judges. The judge overseeing Hunter Biden’s gun trial in Delaware deemed the argument of selective prosecution “nonsensical under the facts here.”
In a social media post, Trump referred to the pardon as “such an abuse and miscarriage of justice!” In a satirical remark, he questioned whether the pardon would extend to his supporters involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, whom he has promised to pardon if he returns to office.
The decision to issue the pardon comes at the end of a tumultuous six-year saga for Hunter Biden, who was convicted by a jury in June for illegally purchasing and possessing a firearm as a drug user. This occurred after a challenging trial that highlighted his struggles with drug abuse and family issues. He later pleaded guilty in September to nine tax offenses related to $1.4 million in unpaid taxes accrued while he lived a lavish lifestyle involving escorts, cars, and drugs.
Special counsel David Weiss, previously appointed by Trump as the U.S. attorney for Delaware, initiated the investigation into Hunter Biden in 2018, resulting in the indictments filed in 2023. Although President Biden had the power to halt the investigation or direct the Justice Department to dismiss the charges, he maintained his commitment to remain uninvolved.
Both legal cases stemmed from Hunter Biden’s long-standing battle with drug and alcohol addiction, which he has discussed publicly, including in his 2021 memoir. His lawyers have consistently argued that he has been targeted by aggressive prosecutors responding to pressure from Trump and Republican lawmakers.
“I have acknowledged my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction—errors that have been leveraged to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political gain,” Hunter Biden stated on Sunday night. “In recovery, we are given the opportunity to make amends and rebuild our lives if we do not take for granted the mercy afforded to us.” He affirmed, “I will never take the clemency I have received today for granted and will devote my rebuilt life to helping those who are still struggling with addiction and suffering.”
President Biden defended the pardon further by noting that few individuals are charged with addiction-related gun offenses “without aggravating factors,” such as using the weapon during a violent crime. He also highlighted that many individuals who settle their tax debts—like Hunter did—often resolve their issues through civil enforcement rather than facing criminal charges.
This pardon marks another instance of an outgoing president utilizing their clemency powers to aid a family member. Notably, former President Bill Clinton pardoned his brother shortly before leaving office, while Donald Trump issued a pardon to the father of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Jeffrey Crouch, a leading expert on pardons and a professor at American University, criticized Biden’s decision, suggesting it represents an abuse of clemency. “Presidents should not utilize their pardon powers to benefit family, friends, or allies for personal interests,” he remarked.
A Decision Rooted in Family
While President Biden had previously aimed to respect the judicial process and had promised to stay out of Hunter’s legal troubles, sources revealed that he reconsidered after Thanksgiving, ultimately deciding that a pardon was a justifiable action. “He feels Hunter was targeted as part of a political strategy to harm him personally, and believes it was both cruel and that his son has endured enough,” said a White House official familiar with the situation. “Once he made the decision, it felt wrong to delay it any longer.”
A significant influence on President Biden’s decision was his belief that political adversaries were attempting to “break Hunter” during his recovery from addiction. He pointed to his son’s commitment to sobriety, stating that Hunter has maintained over five and a half years of recovery “even in the face of relentless political pressure and targeted prosecution.”
The president expressed that he “wrestled” with this decision and came to his conclusion over the weekend. The Biden family spent the Thanksgiving holiday together in Nantucket, where they were seen enjoying lunch, attending a tree lighting ceremony, and participating in Mass.
Hunter Biden’s attorneys had circulated a detailed 52-page document prior to the pardon that outlined the lengthy federal investigation into his activities, asserting that Trump’s administration and congressional Republicans were the driving forces behind his legal challenges. The arguments presented in the document echoed many of the sentiments expressed by President Biden in his statements about the decision to grant the pardon.
Following Trump’s recent election victory, White House aides sensed that either a pardon or commutation for Hunter Biden’s sentences was a strong possibility. Some believed the president might wait until mid-December to assess Hunter’s sentencing before making any determinations. Notably, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had conveyed just weeks prior that President Biden had no plans to pardon his son.
In light of Trump’s victory, Republicans in various political circles began emphasizing their views that Hunter Biden would continue to be a prominent investigative target under the incoming administration. Had Vice President Kamala Harris won the election, sources suggested that a pardon for Hunter might have seemed less likely, particularly due to concerns over potential political repercussions.
One senior administration official, who requested anonymity to discuss private thoughts among the staff, referenced Trump’s late pardon of Charles Kushner and argued that President Biden should likewise exercise similar clemency powers, particularly given the father-son bond. “How could he not?” the official asked regarding the pardon.
As Hunter Biden embarks on a renewed path forward, the complexities of his situation continue to evoke discussions about justice, privilege, and the intertwining of family and politics in America.
Credit: CNN
