US President Joe Biden has granted a full presidential pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, who was facing sentencing for two criminal charges.
In a statement, President Biden condemned the legal proceedings against his son, stating that Hunter had been “singled out” and calling the cases “a miscarriage of justice.”
“From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,” the president added.
Hunter Biden had pleaded guilty to tax charges in September and was convicted in June for being an illegal drug user in possession of a firearm, making him the first child of a sitting president to face such convictions.
This presidential pardon comes despite earlier statements from President Biden, where he ruled out granting clemency to his son. However, the president reversed his stance on Sunday evening, explaining that the influence of politics had tainted the legal process.
“Politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice,” he said. “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 added.
In response, Hunter Biden expressed gratitude and reflected on the mistakes he made during his battle with addiction, which he said were exploited for political purposes.
“Mistakes I made have been exploited to publicly humiliate and shame my family for political sport,” he remarked. “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.”
The younger Biden, 54, has been sober for over five years, according to his father.
In September, Hunter had pleaded guilty to nine federal tax fraud charges, potentially facing up to 17 years in prison. He was also convicted in June for felonies related to a gun purchase, which carried a possible sentence of 25 years.
Sentencing for both cases had been scheduled for December 12 and 16.
Hunter Biden’s legal troubles had been a cloud over his father’s presidency, and the president had withdrawn from the 2024 election race in July, endorsing Vice-President Kamala Harris, who later lost to Republican Donald Trump in November.
Trump is set to take office as president on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025.
