U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he has pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, despite previously vowing not to intervene in his legal troubles.
Hunter Biden, 54, had pleaded guilty to federal tax charges and was convicted on separate charges related to gun possession and drug use. Sentencing was scheduled for later this month.
In a statement released by the White House, President Biden defended his decision, claiming his son was unfairly targeted. “It is clear that Hunter was treated differently,” Biden said, adding that political opponents in Congress had instigated the charges to undermine him.
The president criticized the collapse of a plea deal that had been negotiated with the Department of Justice, attributing it to political interference. “No reasonable person can conclude otherwise than that Hunter was singled out only because he is my son – and that is wrong,” Biden stated.
Biden’s pardon comes as his term nears its end, with power set to transfer to President-elect Donald Trump on January 20. Biden, who had initially intended to seek reelection, withdrew after a poor debate performance against Trump. Vice President Kamala Harris stepped in as the Democratic nominee but lost to Trump in the November election.
Trump condemned the pardon on his Truth Social platform, calling it a “miscarriage of justice.” He compared the move to the treatment of individuals jailed for the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots, referring to them as “hostages.”
“Does the pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of justice!” Trump wrote.
Trump’s inauguration is set for January 20, marking the beginning of his second term as U.S. president.
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