President Joe Biden maintained an unusual silence on Friday as his son, Hunter Biden, faced escalating legal troubles with allegations of tax evasion and lavish spending on drugs and companions. Despite being a longtime defender of Hunter, the 81-year-old president chose to avoid questions, revealing a new challenge ahead of his 2024 reelection bid.
Hunter Biden, 53, claimed in a recent interview that Republicans were attempting to “kill me” to undermine his father’s presidency. However, President Biden opted for a silent approach, ignoring questions from journalists as he boarded Marine One at the White House and later Air Force One for a trip to Las Vegas.
As Biden gears up for a probable 2024 rematch with Donald Trump, he is also fending off Republican attempts to impeach him, alleging he benefited from his son’s foreign business dealings in Ukraine and China.
While Hunter Biden faces charges of evading at least $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2020, the president’s consistent message remains unchanged. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated that Biden loves and supports his son as he rebuilds his life, expressing pride in him.
Hunter Biden, a Yale-educated lawyer turned artist, has confronted personal challenges such as alcoholism and crack addiction. The charges against him detail extravagant expenditures on drugs, companions, luxury hotels, property rentals, exotic cars, and more, while allegedly evading tax payments.
Despite the potential political ramifications, Biden stands by his son, pointing to the family’s long history of tragedy, including the deaths of Hunter’s mother, sister, and brother Beau. The family’s unity was evident during Thanksgiving when father and son, along with Hunter’s three-year-old son “Baby Beau,” were seen visiting Nantucket Island.