US President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he had pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, reversing his previous stance of not interfering in Hunter’s legal matters. Hunter pleaded guilty to tax violations and was convicted on firearms-related charges.
“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 watched my son being selectively and unfairly prosecuted,” Biden stated.
The White House had consistently asserted that Biden would not pardon or commute sentences for Hunter, who has struggled with drug addiction and has been the target of Republican criticism, including from President-elect Donald Trump.
“No reasonable person reviewing the facts of Hunter’s cases can conclude anything other than that he was singled out solely because he is my son,” Biden added in a statement before his trip to Africa. The pardon granted “full and unconditional” clemency to Hunter for offenses committed between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024.
Hunter Biden was facing sentencing for his gun and false statement convictions this month. In September, he pleaded guilty to federal charges for failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes while engaging in a lavish lifestyle involving drugs and sex workers. His sentencing for these charges is scheduled for December 16.
“I have taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction – mistakes that have been used to publicly shame me and my family for political gain,” Hunter said, noting he has been sober for over five years. “I squandered many opportunities due to addiction… I will not take the clemency I’ve received for granted and will dedicate my rebuilt life to helping those still struggling.”
Republicans criticized the pardon. Trump questioned if it extended to those imprisoned for the January 6 Capitol riot, calling it an “abuse and miscarriage of justice.” Representative James Comer accused Biden of dishonesty regarding his family’s alleged corrupt activities.
Biden, whose son Beau died of cancer in 2015, claimed that his opponents aimed to destabilize Hunter through selective prosecution. He noted that felony charges for gun form discrepancies are rare and that others in similar situations typically receive non-criminal resolutions if they pay back taxes with penalties and interest, as Hunter did.
“It is evident that Hunter was treated differently. The charges arose after my political opponents in Congress pushed for them to attack me and undermine my election,” Biden stated. “In attempting to break Hunter, they’ve sought to break me – and this won’t stop here. Enough is enough.”
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In August 2023, Hunter’s lawyers claimed that prosecutors had backed out of a plea deal that would have settled the tax and firearm charges. Biden said he believes the plea deal would have been a fair resolution. He made the decision to pardon Hunter over the weekend, after spending Thanksgiving with his family in Nantucket, Massachusetts.
“I believe in the justice system, but I also think raw politics has tainted this process, leading to a miscarriage of justice. Once I made this decision, I saw no reason to delay,” Biden said. “I hope Americans can understand why a father and a President would make this choice.”
