In a shocking development that has sent shockwaves through Washington D.C., President Joe Biden has issued a full and unconditional pardon to his son, Hunter Biden. The move marks a stunning reversal for the president, who had previously pledged not to interfere in the Justice Department’s investigations into his son’s business dealings and alleged tax offenses.
The White House released a lengthy statement from President Biden explaining his decision. “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 wrote. He argued that the charges against Hunter came about only due to instigation from his “political opponents in Congress” seeking to attack and oppose his election.
Biden further claimed that his son was “singled out only because he is my son” and suggested that the prosecution of Hunter was an effort by his opponents to “break” him as president. “In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me – and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here,” he wrote. “Enough is enough.”
Miscarriage of Justice, Says Biden
In his statement, President Biden reiterated his belief in the justice system but argued that “raw politics” had infected the process in his son’s case, leading to what he called a “miscarriage of justice.” He said he wrestled with the decision but ultimately determined that once he made up his mind this weekend, “there was no sense in delaying it further.”
“I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision,” Biden concluded in his statement. The full text of the presidential pardon specifies that it applies to “all offenses” that Hunter Biden has committed or “may have committed or taken part in” from January 2014 through December 2024.
Two Federal Investigations Underway
Hunter Biden is currently facing two ongoing federal criminal investigations. In Delaware, he is under scrutiny for potential tax crimes and making a false statement related to a gun purchase. A separate probe in Washington is examining his international business dealings.
In 2018, after leaving a rehabilitation center, Hunter purchased a handgun and allegedly answered “no” to a question on a federal form that asked, “Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?” According to sources close to the investigation, federal agents believe they have enough evidence to charge him with making a false statement in connection with that gun purchase.
Unraveling of Plea Deal
In June, Hunter Biden had reached a plea deal with prosecutors to resolve the tax and gun charges, but the agreement unraveled in court as a federal judge raised concerns about its terms. The deal would have seen Hunter plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and enter a pretrial diversion program related to the gun offense. However, the pretrial agreement contained an immunity clause that the judge questioned as overly broad.
Republicans Cry Foul
President Biden’s decision to pardon his son has drawn swift condemnation from Republican lawmakers. “This is a disgraceful abuse of power by a failing president trying to protect his corrupt son,” said Representative James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, which has been investigating Hunter Biden. “Americans can now see clearly that there is one system of justice for the Biden family and another for the rest of us.”
King Biden throws the country into a constitutional crisis to save his own degenerate, crackhead son.
– Tweet from Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene
Other Republicans echoed the outrage, with Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeting, “King Biden throws the country into a constitutional crisis to save his own degenerate, crackhead son.” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy called it proof that “the swamp protects its own” and vowed congressional investigations into the president’s actions.
Democrats on Defense
Democrats, meanwhile, found themselves in an awkward position of trying to defend the president’s decision without seeming to condone Hunter Biden’s alleged wrongdoing. In a statement, White House spokesperson Ian Sams said, “Like any father, the President loves his son and wants to see him healthy and safe…Many Americans can relate to the struggle with addiction in their own families.”
However, some Democrats privately expressed unease with the president’s move, worrying it could be seen as putting family loyalty above the rule of law. “It’s a bad look, any way you slice it,” confided one Democratic strategist. “We just handed Republicans a huge cudgel to beat us with.”
Potential Legal and Political Fallout
While the presidential pardon spares Hunter Biden from federal prosecution, it does not shield him from potential charges at the state level or insulate him from ongoing congressional probes led by House Republicans. It also doesn’t prevent Republicans from using the controversy as a political weapon against President Biden as he gears up for an expected reelection bid in 2024.
Some legal experts have also questioned the propriety and optics of a president pardoning such a close relative. “The president’s pardon power is absolute, so this is likely legal, but it certainly violates norms and will further erode trust,” said Katherine Mims Crocker, a law professor at William & Mary. “At best, it has the appearance of impropriety. At worst, it reeks of nepotism and a disregard for equal justice.”
Others note that presidential pardons of family members or close associates, while rare, are not unprecedented. President Bill Clinton caused an uproar when he pardoned his own brother Roger for a 1980s drug conviction on his last day in office in 2001. President George H.W. Bush pardoned six Reagan administration officials, including Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, for their roles in the Iran-Contra affair.
What Comes Next?
In the near term, President Biden’s startling decision seems likely to consume much of the political oxygen in Washington, with round-the-clock coverage and heated clashes between the White House and congressional Republicans. Expect a barrage of accusations, calls for investigations, and even rumblings of impeachment from Biden’s fiercest critics.
For Hunter Biden, the pardon lifts the immediate legal jeopardy he faced but will do little to quell the larger controversies and clouds that have long surrounded him. He may still face scrutiny over his business dealings, the contents of his infamous laptop, and his tumultuous personal life.
As for President Biden, the decision to pardon his son represents an enormous political gamble that could come to define his presidency and shape his legacy. Will Americans see it as an understandable act of mercy and loyalty from a devoted father? Or will they view it as a troubling instance of favoritism and poor judgment that undermines Biden’s pledge to restore integrity to the White House?
Those are the questions that will play out in the court of public opinion and at the ballot box in the months and years ahead. For now, the nation finds itself grappling with yet another norm-shattering moment in a seemingly endless era of them—the unprecedented spectacle of a sitting U.S. president wielding his pardon power for the benefit of his own son. It is a stark reminder that even in a country built on the notion that no one is above the law, the boundaries between politics and justice remain as blurry and contested as ever.
