On Sunday, President-elect Trump criticized President Biden’s decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, labeling it “an abuse and miscarriage of justice.” In a post on Truth Social, Trump questioned whether the pardon extended to the January 6 hostages, who have faced long-term imprisonment. He expressed his discontent, stating, “Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!” This comment seemed directed at those accused of participating in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Earlier that same day, Biden had announced the signing of his son’s pardon, asserting that the charges against Hunter were politically motivated. “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son — and that is wrong,” the president stated.
Biden emphasized the toll the situation has taken on both him and his son, saying, “There has been an effort to break Hunter — who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution.” He added, “In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me — and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough.”
A spokesperson for Trump, Steven Cheung, voiced similar sentiments, claiming that the “failed witch hunts against President Trump have proven that the Democrat-controlled [Department of Justice] and other radical prosecutors are guilty of weaponizing the justice system.” He further argued that the justice system needs reform to ensure due process for all Americans, which he asserted is a goal Trump will pursue upon his return to the White House.
Reactions from Biden’s Republican colleagues in Congress echoed this criticism of the pardon. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), the chair of the House Oversight Committee, took to X to express his disapproval.
He accused the president of dishonesty regarding his family’s involvement in corrupt influence peddling activities. “Not only has he falsely claimed that he never met with his son’s foreign business associates and that his son did nothing wrong, but he also lied when he said he would not pardon Hunter Biden,” Comer remarked.
Despite Trump frequently asserting that Hunter Biden received preferential treatment during his federal gun trial, he mentioned last month that he wouldn’t rule out a pardon for Biden’s son if he were to win the upcoming election. The Hill has reached out to the White House and the Department of Justice for additional comments.