Introduction:

Hunter Biden’s pardon granted by Joe Biden has sparked widespread criticism.Even some of Joe Biden’s followers have criticized him for forgiving his son, Hunter Biden. The judgment was very contentious because the president had taken an oath before issuing this pardon.

Republican Reaction

As anticipated, Republicans, led by former President Donald Trump, criticized this action. Trump took use of the occasion to draw attention to the cases of the Capitol riot leaders who are still behind bars from January 6, 2021. If he goes back to the White House, he might pardon them, he said.
“Does Joe Biden’s pardon of Hunter extend to the January 6 detainees who have been imprisoned for years?” Trump asked on his blog, Truth Social

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Democratic Disapproval

Democratic colleagues of Biden also disapproved of the pardon. Trump’s controversial use of presidential pardon powers was justified, according to some. According to Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Biden jeopardized his reputation and legacy.

“As a father, I can relate to President Biden’s instinct to support his son, but I’m disheartened that he prioritized family over the nation,” Polis shared on X (formerly known as Twitter). “This undermines his credibility and sets a troubling precedent that future presidents could exploit.”

“Your job as President is to lead the country, not just to be a father,” Polis continued. Hunter Biden’s troubles are understandable, but neither the President nor his son are above the law.

The Legal Issues with Hunter Biden

Last June, a Delaware judge found Hunter Biden guilty of lying on a firearms license application when he was suffering from a cocaine addiction. Later, he was found guilty of separate tax evasion charges in California. This month was set aside for the sentencing hearing for these convictions.

In defense of his choice, President Biden claimed that the prosecution was politically driven and that it wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t been in office.
Divergent Democratic Views

Rep. Greg Stanton of Arizona dismissed Biden’s defense on social media, writing: “I like President Biden, but I think he got this wrong. There was no political motivation behind this; a jury of his peers found Hunter Biden guilty of heinous crimes.

The sense of justice system fairness was also weakened by Biden’s choice, according to Colorado Senator Michael Bennet, who said, “This decision prioritized personal interests over duty and further eroded Americans’ trust in a fair and impartial judicial system.”

“While the pardon reflects a father’s love, it’s unwise for a sitting president to make such a move,” Senator Peter Welch of Vermont continued.

A similar feeling was voiced by Congressman Greg Landsman of Ohio: “As a father, I understand this. However, this judgment is a setback for someone who wishes to restore confidence in public service.

Wider Political Effects

Former Republican congressman and outspoken Trump critic Joe Walsh said the pardon was disappointing because it provided Trump with justification to justify his own contentious pardons. Walsh stated to MSNBC:
“This simply serves to increase people’s political cynicism and gives Trump more leverage to claim that “everyone, even Joe Biden, does it.” Biden made a self-serving action that helps Trump politically.
Biden’s defense

The President was defended by some Democrats. “This is the truth,” tweeted Eric Holder, the former Attorney General under Barack Obama. Given these circumstances, no prosecutor in the United States would have filed charges. The lawsuit would have been dismissed outright if he had been Joe Smith. The pardon was warranted.

“Let me be the first to commend the President,” said Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett, who backed Biden. In reference to Trump’s recent conviction in New York for falsifying records involving payments to an adult film star, the statement reads, “At the end of the day, we know someone with 34 felony convictions is about to enter the White House.”

A Difficult Legacy

Jonathan Chait, a journalist for the Atlantic, contended that Biden’s choice undermined the democratic principles he had previously supported.
Upholding principles becomes challenging when their most prominent advocates openly contradict them Biden has put his own feelings ahead of the welfare of the nation, much like his obstinate desire to run for a second term that he is unlikely to win,” Chait wrote.

Biden’s legacy is at a crossroads as a result of the pardon, which has generated intense discussion about how to strike a balance between public duty and personal allegiance.

Joe Biden Discusses His Son Hunter Biden’s Controversial Pardon

Critics reacted angrily to President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, citing accusations made against several nominees during Trump’s presidency. Biden defended his choice by saying it was intended to address a lack of justice and selective prosecution.

A Critical Analysis of Trump’s Legacy

The difference between Biden’s and Trump’s behavior was emphasized by critics. One critic said, referring to Trump’s appointees: “Anyone who is freaking out over [Biden] forgiving his kid ought to look in the mirror. Perhaps no other cabinet in American history has as many people accused of sexual misconduct as Trump’s.

Republican strategist and Trump opponent Sarah Longwell, who backed Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, went on to say: ‘Trump is worse’ is never a legitimate excuse for terrible behavior. Biden is aware that this was incorrect. He vowed time and again not to meddle in Justice Department affairs. He’s not Trump because of this, but it’s still a mistake.

She went on: “We must speak out against this because right and wrong still matter, and our leaders’ awareness of this is crucial.”

Hunter Biden’s Pardon Specifics

Hunter Biden was formally pardoned by President Biden on December 1, clearing him of all federal tax and firearm-related crimes. This occurred fewer than two months before Donald Trump’s possible return to the White House and weeks before Hunte Bidenr’s sentencing

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The Legal Issues with Hunter Biden

In December 2020, 54-year-old Hunter Biden disclosed that he was the subject of a federal investigation for possible money laundering and tax offenses related to his business activities in China. Hunter Biden allegedly received $4.79 million in wire payments from companies connected to Chinese energy mogul Ye Jianming, according to a Senate Republican probe.

Hunter Biden was found guilty of both misdemeanor and felony counts in California in 2018 after being accused of not paying $1.4 million in taxes. In June 2024, he also entered a guilty plea to lying on a federal paperwork regarding his usage of drugs while purchasing a handgun. In his firearms case, prosecutors discovered drug residue.

Hunter Biden acknowledged during the trial that he was entering a guilty plea in order to spare his family more suffering and humiliation.

Hunter faced a maximum penalty of 17 years in jail for his tax-related offenses and a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison for the firearm allegations.
The Pardon’s Scope

All of Hunter’s charges from January 1, 2014, to December 1, 2024, were covered by Biden’s pardon. In a 52-page report titled “The Political Prosecution of Hunter Biden,” Hunter’s legal team accused him of acting as a “surrogate” to criticize his father’s presidential campaign.

Biden stressed that he wasn’t biased and that his goal in granting the pardon was to address what he described as a miscarriage of justice. He charged that the legal system was being used as a weapon by the Trump administration and political rivals to weaken his presidency.

“The allegations against Hunter only surfaced after my political adversaries in Congress pursued them as a tactic to target me,” Biden stated..
A President’s Predicament

As he left a church in Nantucket with his family, President Biden, dressed in a blue suit and tie, voiced his serious concern that his son, who had been sober for years, would relapse into addiction due to protracted legal issues.

“I realized there was no other option but to issue this pardon,” Biden said after considering how serious the situation was.
Public Response

A contentious discussion over justice, equity, and the exercise of presidential authority has been sparked by the pardon. Some have supported Biden’s actions as a father defending his child, but others fear it creates a risky precedent and erodes public confidence in the court system.

Biden’s Challenging Choice to Pardon His Son

President Joe Biden met with his wife, Jill Biden, and son, Hunter Biden, earlier this week in a vacation rental with a view of Nantucket Harbor to talk about a choice that had been on his mind for months. The problem? Hunter would be released from years of legal issues if he were granted a pardon, something the president had stated he would not do.

The Biden family has been supporting Hunter’s pardon for months. Recent outside forces, however, were a major factor. As President-elect Donald Trump started picking loyalists for his cabinet with the assurance that he would seek legal and political retribution against his opponents, Biden’s worries grew.

Biden even extended an unexpected invitation to Trump to visit the White House, where he voiced his well-known complaints about the Justice Department. Biden paid close attention without responding. Unexpectedly, he then shared his own family’s difficulties with the Justice Department in order to show sympathy for his visitor. Three sources familiar with the conversation said Trump was taken aback by this revelation.

The Last Hurry to Get the Pardon

As the month went on, the president’s final straw was the impending sentencing of Hunter Biden on federal weapons and tax charges. Biden understood that the only thing he could do for his difficult son—a recovering addict who, in his opinion, had suffered years of public humiliation—was to grant him a pardon.

When Biden got back to Washington on Saturday night, he called a number of top aides to discuss his choice. Biden reportedly said, “It’s time to put this all behind us,” according to someone with knowledge of the call.
A Presidential and Personal Conflict

Sixty people close to the president and his family recounted this story of Biden’s decision to pardon his son; they all talked on condition of anonymity in order to protect their ties. Biden’s public legacy, which started more than 50 years ago when he sat by the hospital bedside of his two young sons—the only survivors of a car disaster that killed his first wife and infant daughter—was damaged by the decision, they admitted.

Biden’s choice revealed a conflict between two essential facets of his personality:

A distraught father who is committed to keeping his son safe.
A president who takes great satisfaction in adhering to his values.

According to those close to Biden, there was never any real uncertainty about the outcome. Which side of him would win out in the end was obvious.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Joe Biden’s pardon of Hunter Biden has come to symbolize his administration by fusing political responsibility with personal loyalty. It highlights the intricate relationship between public office responsibilities and familial devotion, sparking discussions about justice, equity, and the appropriate use of presidential authority. Others regard this choice as a concerning precedent that could undermine public trust, while others see it as a father’s act of kindness. Biden’s legacy will continue to be a contentious chapter, representing the difficult balancing act between individual principles and national duty.