Just two weeks before being sworn into office, President Biden pledged to the public a “restoration of democracy, of decency, of honor, of respect, [and] the rule of law.” Four years later, Biden, now 82, issued a sweeping “full and unconditional” pardon to his son Hunter, 54. This move blatantly contradicted the president’s repeated public assurances that he would not interfere in his son’s legal troubles.
Both Biden and the White House had assured the public nearly a dozen times that the president would not pardon Hunter—before and after Hunter was convicted on gun charges and pleaded guilty to tax felonies earlier this year.
Plea Deal Collapse
In July 2023, after Hunter Biden’s plea agreement fell apart in court, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated Biden’s stance.
“No,” she stated simply when asked if a pardon was under consideration. She also emphasized, “This is a personal matter for Hunter Biden… handled independently by the Department of Justice under a Trump-appointed prosecutor.”
September 2023
Following Hunter’s indictment on three charges related to lying about his drug use on a gun purchase form, Jean-Pierre doubled down:
“I’ve answered this question before… and I was very clear: no,” she told reporters.
December 2023
When the Justice Department added nine tax-related charges against Hunter, Jean-Pierre again insisted the position hadn’t changed.
“Nothing has changed,” she stated aboard Air Force One.
Biden’s Public Promise
In June 2024, amid Hunter’s trial for the firearm case, President Biden explicitly ruled out a pardon during an interview with ABC News’ David Muir.
“Yes,” Biden replied when asked if he had ruled out pardoning Hunter, adding, “I will abide by the jury’s decision. I will not pardon him.”
Conviction and Assurance
After Hunter was convicted on three firearm charges, Biden affirmed his commitment to respecting the judicial process:
“I will accept the outcome of this case and continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal,” he stated in June 2024.
Jean-Pierre echoed this assurance the following day:
“I don’t have anything beyond what the president said. He’s been very clear about this.”
Biden’s Repeated Rejections
Throughout the summer of 2024, the White House consistently maintained its position. In July, Jean-Pierre told reporters:
“It’s still a no. It will be a no. And I don’t have anything else to add.”
When Hunter pleaded guilty to tax charges in September, Jean-Pierre repeated:
“It’s no, it’s still no.”
Trump’s Stance
Interestingly, in October, Donald Trump, then the Republican presidential candidate, left the door open for a potential pardon for Hunter.
“I wouldn’t take it off the books,” Trump told conservative host Hugh Hewitt, though he added, “Hunter’s a bad boy.”
The Shocking Reversal
Despite his earlier assurances, Biden announced on Sunday that he had issued a full pardon for his son. In his statement, Biden justified the decision, claiming Hunter was “treated differently” due to political motives.
“From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making… [but] it is clear Hunter was treated unfairly,” Biden said.
When asked if the pardon validated accusations of a politically weaponized justice system, Jean-Pierre rejected the claim:
“No. Read the president’s statement. He believes in the Department of Justice, but also that politics infected the process.”
