The decision, which was first reported by NBC News, is a reversal for the president, who repeatedly said he would not use his authority to pardon his son or commute his sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WASHINGTON \u2014 Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter Sunday night, a reversal for the president, who repeatedly said he would not use his executive authority to pardon his son or commute his sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice \u2014 and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision,” Biden said in his statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hunter Biden was scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 12 for his conviction on federal gun charges. He also was set to be sentenced on Dec. 16 in a separate criminal case in which he pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion charges in September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The president issued a “full and unconditional pardon” for any offenses Hunter Biden has \u201ccommitted or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024,” according to the White House statement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A senior White House official told NBC News, which was the first to report on the pardon decision, that the president decided over the weekend to grant his son a pardon and began to inform his senior aides Sunday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The president also spoke about his son’s struggles with addiction in his statement Sunday night, saying that his political opponents were trying to “break” him by going after Hunter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter\u2019s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son \u2014 and that is wrong,” Biden said in his statement. “There has been an effort to break Hunter \u2014 who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they\u2019ve tried to break me \u2014 and there\u2019s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a separate statement, Hunter Biden said he had “admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction \u2014 mistakes that have been exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite all of this, I have maintained my sobriety for more than five years because of my deep faith and the unwavering love and support of my family and friends,” he added. “In the throes of addiction, I squandered many opportunities and advantages. In recovery we can be given the opportunity to make amends where possible and rebuild our lives if we never take for granted the mercy that we have been afforded. I will never take the clemency I have been given today for granted and will devote the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A representative for Special Counsel David Weiss did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Hunter Biden\u2019s attorney Abbe Lowell declined to comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Steven Cheung, a spokesman for President-elect Donald Trump, said, “The failed witch hunts against President Trump have proven that the Democrat-controlled DOJ and other radical prosecutors are guilty of weaponizing the justice system. That system of justice must be fixed and due process must be restored for all Americans, which is exactly what President Trump will do as he returns to the White House with an overwhelming mandate from the American people.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Biden, 82, is using his pardon power to ensure Hunter Biden does not spend time in jail as he nears the end of his term in the White House and has no future election to face. In recent months, he has said he would not pardon his son or commute his sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI will not pardon him,\u201d he said in June after a jury found Hunter Biden guilty on three federal gun charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The president has discussed pardoning his son with some of his closest aides at least since Hunter Biden\u2019s conviction in June, said two people with direct knowledge of the discussions about the matter. They said it was decided at the time that he would publicly say he would not pardon his son even though doing so remained on the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre recently told reporters that Biden\u2019s position has not changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been asked that question multiple times. Our answer stands, which is \u2018no,\u2019\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asked last week whether the president is still committed to not granting clemency for his son, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said: \u201cThe president has spoken to this.\u201d Pressed about whether Biden\u2019s position has changed, Bates replied, \u201cI don\u2019t have anything to add what he said already.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First lady Jill Biden has also said her husband would not pardon their son.<\/p>\n\n\n\n