President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden spent the weekend in Nantucket, Massachusetts, where the president ultimately made the decision to grant the pardon.
White House Justifies Hunter Biden Pardon Amid Controversy
By Bernd Debusmann Jr & Madeline Halpert, BBC News
2 December 2024, 19:08 GMT | Updated 1 hour ago
The White House has defended President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, despite previously stating there were no plans for such an action.
According to the press secretary, the president issued the pardon to protect his son, who was awaiting sentencing in two federal cases later this month, from what was described as potential political persecution by opponents of the outgoing administration.
The broad pardon covers any potential federal offenses committed by 54-year-old Hunter Biden over the past decade.
Republicans have fiercely criticized the decision, with President-elect Donald Trump labeling it “an abuse and miscarriage of justice.”