President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he has pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who was facing sentencing this month on gun crime and tax convictions. This decision marks a significant reversal as President Biden prepares to leave office.
In a statement, President Biden confirmed that he signed a full and unconditional pardon for Hunter Biden. This official grant of clemency cannot be rescinded by President-elect Donald Trump.
By issuing this pardon, President Biden has gone back on his previous public promise not to pardon Hunter Biden, a promise he made both before and after dropping out of the 2024 presidential race. The decision to pardon Hunter Biden means that he will not face sentencing for his crimes and eliminates the possibility of him being sent to prison.
The pardon also impacts the scheduled sentencing hearings for Hunter Biden, which were set for December 12 in the gun case and December 16 in the tax case. Once the judges overseeing his cases are informed of the pardon, these hearings are likely to be canceled.
President Biden stated that he decided to pardon his son because he believed Hunter was unfairly prosecuted and treated differently from others who commit similar crimes. He also suggested that the charges against Hunter were instigated by his political opponents in Congress to undermine his presidency.
Hunter Biden was convicted by a jury in June for illegally purchasing and possessing a gun. He later pleaded guilty in September to nine tax offenses related to $1.4 million in unpaid taxes, which were linked to his extravagant spending habits.
