President Joe Biden's sudden announcement to pardon his son Hunter marked a stark departure from his previous public stance on the matter.
According to Daily Mail, internal sources revealed that Biden had been privately weighing the possibility of pardoning his son Hunter for at least six months, despite repeatedly stating publicly he would not do so.
The revelation came after Biden made the unexpected announcement on Sunday evening following the family's Thanksgiving break on Nantucket. Sources close to the situation disclosed that discussions about a potential pardon began as early as Hunter's conviction on June 11, 2024, for three federal felonies related to lying about drug use on a firearm purchase form.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had consistently maintained the president's stance against pardoning his son throughout the past year. When questioned about the possibility in July, she emphatically denied any consideration of a pardon. Jean-Pierre declined to comment on Monday regarding whether the president discussed the pardon with Hunter during their Thanksgiving gathering on Nantucket.
The administration's public position remained firm even after Hunter's guilty plea in September regarding separate tax-related charges. Jean-Pierre reiterated on September 5 that pardoning Hunter was "still a no."
Internal sources painted a different picture of the situation behind closed doors. Two individuals with direct knowledge of the discussions told NBC News that while Biden maintained his public position against pardoning his son, he continued to privately consider the option.
According to sources cited by Axios, internal family lobbying played a significant role in the president's decision-making process. The president's feelings of guilt regarding his son's prosecution also reportedly influenced his ultimate choice.
Biden cited personal struggle with the decision in his pardon announcement. He began informing his staff about the pardon on Saturday evening, the same night he attended mass with his family on Nantucket.
A source close to the Biden administration explained the situation, stating:
Once it became clear that the Justice Department was dead set on jail time, this was always how it was ending.
The pardon announcement has prompted immediate political consequences, with former President Donald Trump suggesting he would respond by pardoning January 6 Capitol riot defendants if elected. Trump took to social media to question the fairness of Biden's decision.
The timing of the announcement has raised additional questions, as Hunter's sentencing had been scheduled for December 4. The presidential pardon now eliminates the need for that proceeding.
President Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter represents a significant reversal of his long-standing public position. The revelation that private discussions about the pardon had been ongoing for months, even as the administration repeatedly denied such possibilities, has sparked renewed debate about transparency in executive decision-making.
The pardon, announced after the family's Thanksgiving gathering on Nantucket, effectively resolves Hunter Biden's legal troubles related to the federal gun charges, though it raises new questions about the intersection of presidential power and family relationships in American politics.
