In a stunning reversal, President Biden announced Sunday that he has pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, clearing him of federal gun charges and tax evasion convictions. The outgoing president, 82, defended the move as a necessary response to what he called “selective and unfair prosecution” of his son.
The White House confirmed the news late Sunday, with Biden stating, “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.”
Hunter Biden, 53, was convicted earlier this year of lying on a federal form to purchase a firearm in 2018 and pleaded guilty to failing to pay federal income taxes for multiple years. He was scheduled to face sentencing in the gun case this week.
The pardon, which applies to all offenses Hunter Biden “has committed or may have committed” between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024, wipes the slate clean for the president’s son.
“No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son – and that is wrong,” Biden said. “In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me. Enough is enough.”
The pardon caps a tumultuous legal saga for Hunter, who has been a lightning rod for criticism throughout his father’s presidency. His struggles with addiction, finances, and business dealings have fueled relentless political attacks, often targeting the president himself.
The timing of the pardon is particularly striking, coming just weeks after President-elect Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election. Trump and other Republicans have vowed to investigate the Biden family’s alleged influence-peddling schemes if they retake power.
This decision marks a sharp about-face for Biden, who had repeatedly denied plans to pardon his son. As recently as November, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated that the president stood by his earlier promise.
Hunter Biden issued a statement Sunday night expressing gratitude for the clemency and acknowledging his past mistakes. “I will never take the clemency I have been given today for granted and will devote the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering,” he said.
While the pardon ends Hunter Biden’s immediate legal troubles, it adds a new layer of controversy to his father’s legacy. Critics have already pounced, accusing Biden of placing family loyalty above the rule of law.
The president, however, remained steadfast, concluding his statement with a direct appeal: “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.”
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