The first week of Hunter Biden’s trial on federal gun charges thrust the women in his life into an uncomfortable spotlight while debunking Democrats’ 2020 election claims that his infamous laptop was a Russian intelligence ruse.
The first son was charged in Delaware by Justice Department Special Counsel David Weiss with three felony crimes alleging he illegally made a 2018 firearm purchase while using drugs.
The accusations include lying to the licensed gun dealer, making a false claim on the application used to screen firearm’s buyers by saying he was not a drug user, and illegally possessing the firearm for 11 days.
Here are some of the top moments from the first week of the trial:
The infamous laptop was originally described by media outlets and 52 intelligence experts as “Russian disinformation” during the 2020 election. The device — referred to as “the laptop from hell” — contained videos and photos of drug usage, inappropriate videos and business information.
FBI agent Erika Jensen told jurors last week that the laptop was real.. She said that information on the laptop contained evidence about the gun purchase.
Hallie Biden, the widow of Hunter Biden’s brother, Beau, dated the younger Biden shortly after his older brother passed away in 2015 and during a key period in the case.
During the period Hunter Biden was allegedly using cocaine, Hallie Biden testified that she found a firearm in Hunter’s car. She said that she wanted to get rid of the gun and bullets so he wouldn’t hurt himself. She also testified that he would smoke weed the moment he woke up.
Naomi testified during the trial that she visited her father in rehab in 2018 and said he seemed “great” and “hopeful.”
Prosecutors later brought up text messages that disputed Naomi’s description of him as forms around that time showed he had purchased the gun in Delaware and said he wasn’t doing drugs. Naomi’s testimony resulted in her father’s legal team withdrawing a witness last minute, according to Axios.
The White House has previously claimed Biden would not pardon his own son in the past, but expressed support for Hunter Biden amid the legal battles. This week, he confirmed during an ABC News interview that he would accept the results of the gun trial. He also said “yes” when asked if he ruled out a pardon for his son.
The first son’s wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, lashed out at a former Trump White House aide, claiming the man should not be at her husband’s Delaware trial. According to reports, Cohen cursed out the former aide Garrett Ziegler, claiming he had no right to be at the trial, and referred to him as a “Nazi piece of s***.” Ziegler was sued by Biden for publishing the contents of Biden’s laptop last year.
