US President Biden’s growing worries spurred son’s pardon without delay
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Several of President Biden’s close confidants for months said privately that they expected him to pardon his son Hunter, even as he publicly insisted he wouldn’t. But a number of recent events clinched his decision to act despite the likely public backlash, people familiar with the matter said.
Momentum for the pardon began building this summer, after a gut-wrenching trial that saw the conviction of Hunter on gun charges and the president’s exit from the 2024 contest after a disastrous debate against GOP rival Donald Trump. Trump’s electoral win, and some of the nominees the president-elect has floated for top law enforcement posts since, made Biden more concerned that his son could be a target after he left the White House, the people said. The president also was increasingly worried that two approaching court dates, when Hunter would be sentenced for gun and tax offenses, would cause too much stress and pain on his son and family, the people said.
The president said he made the pardon decision during a smaller-than-usual gathering of family members on Nantucket for Thanksgiving. Along with the president and first lady Jill Biden, the group included their daughter Ashley Biden, Hunter Biden and his wife Melissa Cohen Biden along with their young son Beau. After returning to Washington from his Thanksgiving break, Biden told close advisers on a call Saturday night that he planned to issue the pardon, which he announced the next day.
Read more on livemint.com
