President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, after the younger Biden was convicted in two separate federal cases earlier in the year.
The White House made the announcement Sunday evening. The pardon applies to offenses in the United States that Hunter Biden “has committed or may have committed” from January 1, 2014 to December 1, 2024.
“Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” said Biden. “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 being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.”
Biden continued, claiming his son was “treated differently” by prosecutors.
The president went on to claim Hunter was “treated differently” by prosecutors.
“Without aggravating factors like used in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought on felony charges solely for how they filled out their gun form,” added Biden. “Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently.”
Joe Biden additionally referenced his son’s battle with addiction, blaming “raw politics” for the unraveling of Hunter Biden’s plea deal.
“There has been an effort to break Hunter — who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution,” the 82-year-old president wrote. “In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me — and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough.”
“I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision,” Biden concluded his statement.
A court document showed Hunter signed his name in legal acknowledgment of his pardon.
“On December 1, 2024, I received and formally accepted the President’s grant of a pardon,” stated the document. “I declare (or certify, verify, or state) under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the foregoing is true and correct.”
In a Sunday night statement, Hunter said he would “never take the clemency” his father gave him for granted and that his plans are to devote himself to helping those struggling with addiction.
“I have admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction — mistakes that have been exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport,” wrote the younger Biden.
“In the throes of addiction, I squandered many opportunities and advantages. In recovery, we can be given the opportunity to make amends where possible and rebuild our lives if we never take for granted the mercy that we have been afforded.”
President’s son has had a busy year in court
Hunter Biden has had a busy year in court, beginning with his first trial in June in Delaware, when he faced three felony firearm offenses, prior to pleading guilty in September in a separate felony tax case.
President Biden’s pardon of his son is a departure from his prior remarks to the media over the summer, and he declared he wouldn’t pardon his son.
“Yes,” President Joe Biden told ABC News when asked if he would rule out pardoning his son ahead of his guilt verdict in his gun case.
Just days later, after a jury of the first son’s peers found him guilty of three felony firearm offenses, again, the president said he wouldn’t pardon his son.
“I am not going to do anything,” said Biden after Hunter Biden was convicted. “I will abide by the jury’s decision.”
In the gun case, the younger Biden was found guilty of making a false statement when purchasing a gun, possession of a firearm by an individual who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance, and making a false statement related to information required to be retained by a federally licensed gun dealer.
Prosecutors worked specifically to prove Hunter Biden lied on ATF Form 4473 — a federal firearm form — in October 2018, where he checked a box labeled “No” when he was asked if he was addicted to controlled substances or an unlawful user of substances.
Attorneys for the younger Biden didn’t dispute the lengthy history of substance abuse during the trial, which also included alcohol addiction. Instead, the defense argued on the day Hunter bought the Cobra Colt .38; he didn’t consider himself an active drug addict because he had completed time in rehab before the October 2018 purchase.
However, prosecutors argued Biden was addicted to crack cocaine before, during, and after he purchased the handgun. Only one day after the gun purchase, prosecutors showed the court the younger Biden texted his sister-in-law-turned-girlfriend, Hallie Biden, to say he was “waiting for a dealer named Mookie.” A day after that text, he texted her that he was “sleeping on a car smoking crack on 4th Street and Rodney in Wilmington.
A jury deliberated for about three hours over two days before they found Hunter Biden guilty on each charge.
The first son was scheduled for sentencing on November 13, but it was delayed until December—before his dad intervened.
After Biden withdrew from the presidential race in July amid growing concerns over his age and mental acuity, his son faced yet another trial regarding six misdemeanor tax offenses and three felony tax offenses regarding his failure to pay over $1.4 million in taxes.
Hunter Biden entered a surprise guilty plea just as jury selection was set to kick off in Los Angeles federal court.
“I will not subject my family to more pain, more invasions of privacy, and needless embarrassment,” said Hunter in an emailed statement. “For all I have put them through over the years, I can spare them this, and so I have decided to plead guilty.”
The charges carried up to 17 years of jail time; however, under federal sentencing guidelines, the first son would have faced a much shorter sentence. His sentencing was set for December 16.
Prior to the president’s decision to pardon his son, President-elect Donald Trump said while on the campaign trail that he would consider pardoning Hunter if he won on November 5.
“I wouldn’t take it off the books,” said Trump to radio host Hugh Hewitt in October. “See, unlike Joe Biden, despite what they’ve done to me, where they’ve gone after me so viciously…And Hunter’s a bad boy.”
“There’s no question about it. He’s been a bad boy,” continued Trump. “But I happen to think it’s very bad for our country.”
