CNN’s Jeff Zeleny reported Sunday that President Joe Biden faced “pressure” from within his family to pardon his son, Hunter Biden. According to Zeleny, First Lady Jill Biden was a strong advocate for the pardon, urging the president to take action in recent weeks.
“There was pressure inside the family, we were told—really in recent weeks—that Dr. Jill Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, was really supportive of the president doing something like this,” Zeleny said. “The president was not sure.”
Zeleny explained that the issue came to a head over the weekend, leading to Biden’s decision to grant the pardon. “I’m told this has been very much a family discussion and not something widely shared or discussed as a policy matter inside the West Wing,” he said.
CNN reports that Jill Biden pressured Joe Biden to grant their son Hunter a pardon, after he decided he won't.pic.twitter.com/TTqJnyKFJK
— Resist Times (@resistupdates) December 2, 2024
Zeleny added that concerns over potential future prosecutions under the incoming Trump administration also played a role in the decision.
CNN on the Hunter pardon: “There was a worry of future prosecutions, or the potential of what the incoming Trump DOJ could do.”pic.twitter.com/8EzMZt11jS
— Resist Times (@resistupdates) December 2, 2024
The Biden administration had repeatedly insisted that the president would not pardon his son. Hunter Biden, convicted on federal gun charges in June and pleading guilty to tax evasion in September, faced years in prison with sentencing set for the coming weeks.
However, the pardon issued by Biden goes far beyond those recent charges. It provides a full pardon for any federal crimes Hunter Biden may have committed from 2014 onward.
This timeframe includes Hunter’s controversial tenure on the board of Ukrainian energy firm Burisma, where he earned $80,000 per month despite limited expertise in the energy sector.
Critics have accused Hunter Biden of failing to register as a foreign agent under FARA laws and engaging in influence peddling using his father’s political connections.
Reports indicate that the decision to pardon Hunter was finalized over the Thanksgiving holiday in Nantucket. Additional reporting suggests discussions about the pardon may have begun as early as June, following Hunter’s conviction on gun charges.
When asked about the pardon at a White House Christmas party, First Lady Jill Biden was unequivocal in her support, stating, “Of course I support the pardon of my son.”
The decision has sparked widespread debate, with critics accusing Biden of undermining public trust by reversing his administration’s previous denials about a potential pardon.
Supporters, however, argue that the move reflects the president’s belief in protecting his family from what he perceives as politically motivated investigations.
The pardon ensures that Hunter Biden will not face further federal prosecution for activities spanning nearly a decade, raising questions about transparency and accountability as the Biden presidency approaches its conclusion.