United States President Joe Biden has made it clear that he will not pardon his son Hunter or commute any sentence following Hunter’s conviction on charges related to his drug addiction and purchase of a handgun.
When asked by reporters at a G7 summit press conference in Italy if he would commute any sentence that 54-year-old Hunter might face, Biden simply responded, “No.”
“I’m extremely proud of my son Hunter. He has overcome an addiction, he’s one of the brightest, most decent men I know,” Biden continued. “I said I’d abide by the jury decision. I will do that. I will not pardon him.”
This conviction marks the first criminal prosecution of a sitting US president’s child. On Tuesday, a jury found Hunter Biden guilty on three felony counts connected to his 2018 purchase of a handgun while he was addicted to crack cocaine. Although he could face up to 25 years in prison, as a first-time offender, jail time is considered unlikely. The sentencing date has yet to be determined but is expected within the next few months.
Following the verdict, Biden issued a statement expressing his love for his sole surviving son—his eldest son Beau died of brain cancer in 2015—and his respect for the jury’s conclusion. His comments in Italy on Thursday were his first public statement on the verdict.
Before heading to Italy, Biden adjusted his schedule to travel to Wilmington, Delaware, where the trial took place. Upon his arrival, Hunter Biden met him on the tarmac, and the two shared a warm hug before departing in a motorcade.
The verdict comes at a challenging time for Biden, who is gearing up for a tough re-election campaign against Donald Trump. Trump recently made headlines as the first former president to be convicted of a felony. A New York jury found him guilty of breaching election law by lying about hush money payments to a porn star.
