President Joe Biden stated in an ABC News interview on Thursday that he will respect the jury’s decision in his son Hunter Biden’s criminal trial and will not use his presidential pardon power if Hunter is convicted.
Biden’s brief remarks on his son’s historic trial were made during an interview with ABC News anchor David Muir in Normandy, where Biden and other leaders were commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day, a key event in World War II.
When asked if he would rule out a pardon for his son, who faces three federal gun-related charges in Delaware, Biden simply replied, “Yes.” He also affirmed that he would accept the jury’s verdict, a first for a sitting president’s child, with another “Yes.”
The White House had previously stated that Biden would not pardon Hunter Biden, who also faces federal tax charges in September.
Presidents can grant pardons in federal cases but not state cases. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated in December, “I’ve been very clear; the president is not going to pardon his son.”
In a statement at the trial’s start on Monday, Biden said: “As the President, I don’t and won’t comment on pending federal cases, but as a Dad, I have boundless love for my son, confidence in him, and respect for his strength. Our family has been through a lot together, and Jill and I are going to continue to be there for Hunter and our family with our love and support.”
The first lady, Hunter Biden’s wife Melissa Cohen-Biden, and other family members have attended the trial this week.
In the ABC interview, Biden also criticized former President Donald Trump for not accepting a New York jury’s verdict that found him guilty of 34 charges of falsifying business records last month, and for calling the case “rigged.”
Biden said Trump was trying to “undermine” the rule of law, adding, “He got a fair trial. The jury spoke.”