President Biden signs pardon for son

"Anyone with a conscience looking at Hunter's case can come to the conclusion that Hunter was targeted simply because he is my son, and that is wrong," US President Joe Biden said in a statement on December 1 about signing a pardon for his son, Hunter Biden.

Biden suggested there was an effort to “break” Hunter, noting that he had been sober for five and a half years, even in the face of constant attacks and “selective prosecution.”

"When they came after Hunter, they came after me and there's no reason to think this will stop. Enough is enough," he said.

The new decision reverses Biden’s previous pledge, with the White House repeatedly saying he would not pardon his son. The move spares Hunter from the risk of prison time on gun and tax charges, weeks before his sentencing.

A jury in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, on June 11 found Hunter guilty of three felony counts stemming from his purchase of handguns while addicted to drugs in 2018. Hunter is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12. Hunter also pleaded guilty in September to all nine charges of avoiding paying $1.4 million in taxes while spending the money on drugs, prostitutes and luxury items.

Hunter, 54, is President Biden’s only son after his eldest son Beau Biden died of brain cancer in 2015. Hunter has founded consulting and investment firms, worked in private equity and served on the boards of various organizations, including some in China and Ukraine.

Since 2019, Donald Trump and his Republican allies have repeatedly attacked Hunter over his dealings with Ukraine and China. The president has said he has always trusted Hunter and called the allegations against his son a "dirty trick."

Mr Biden revealed he made the decision over the weekend. His family spent Thanksgiving in Nantucket, Massachusetts, and returned to Washington on the evening of November 30.

“Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but I also believe that politics corrupted the process and resulted in a miscarriage of justice,” he said. “I hope the American people will understand why a father and a president made this decision.”