President Biden’s top aides are reportedly weighing the idea of issuing preemptive pardons to current and former government officials.
Washington: US President Joe Biden has pardoned his son Hunter Biden who was earlier convicted of gun-related charges in Delaware and pleaded guilty to tax evasion in California.
In an unprecedented move that reverses the longstanding pledge by President Biden to not use his presidential powers to protect his only surviving son, the pardon comes weeks before he exits the White House in January 2025.
In an official statement issued by the White House, President Biden said that he has decided to issue the executive grant of clemency for his son Hunter “for those offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from Jan. 1, 2014, through Dec. 1, 2024,” reported NBC News.
Biden defended his move of pardoning son Hunter and stated that the charges against him were politically motivated and were designed in a manner that it hurts him politically. He further added saying, “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.”
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'Miscarriage of Justice': Trump US President-elect Donald Trump has responded to outgoing US President Joe Biden's decision to pardon his son. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, "Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!" The term “J6 hostages” refers to individuals imprisoned for their involvement in the January 6, 2021, riots at Capitol Hill. Trump and his supporters have labeled these individuals as hostages, arguing they were acting peacefully and patriotically during the event. |
