Joe Biden Pardons Son Hunter: A Controversial Move Explained

On December 1, President Joe Biden decided to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, lifting tax and gun-related charges against him. This came even after Joe had previously promised not to get involved with the Justice Department’s work. The pardon was issued just weeks before Hunter was supposed to be sentenced for his legal troubles.

Hunter Biden, aged 54, had been under investigation since December 2020, mostly about his business dealings in China. Reports showed that he failed to pay around $1.4 million in taxes and was caught up in a gun-related case. In June 2024, a court found him guilty of lying when he bought a gun, claiming he wasn’t addicted to drugs, while there was cocaine in his gun pouch.

Hunter Biden’s pardon covers any offenses from January 1, 2014, to December 1, 2024. After the pardon, his legal team released a document saying these legal issues were politically motivated, meant to attack Joe Biden during his presidential campaign.

Joe Biden defending his decision, explaining that he believed Hunter was treated unfairly due to pressure from his political enemies. In his statement, he said, “These charges only came about because my political opponents wanted to hurt me.”