Hunter Biden has sparked controversy after criticizing President Donald Trump’s use of presidential clemency powers, despite previously benefiting from a broad pardon issued by his father, former President Joe Biden.
In a recent interview, Hunter acknowledged his “privileged” position and admitted he is not a fully neutral voice on the issue, but still questioned Trump’s approach to granting pardons during his current administration.
Hunter Biden, 56, spoke in an interview with MeidasTouch. He received a full and unconditional pardon from Joe Biden that covers any federal crimes from Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 1, 2024. The pardon was issued shortly before Joe Biden left office in January 2025.
“I’m completely biased as it relates to what my dad did for me. I fully understand how uniquely situated I am in being privileged enough to have received a pardon from my father,” Hunter Biden said.
Joe Biden had said many times in public that he would not pardon his son. After the pardon, Joe Biden said his son had been selectively and unfairly prosecuted.
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A jury in Delaware convicted Hunter Biden in June 2024 on charges of illegal possession of a firearm while he was addicted to drugs. In September 2024, he pleaded guilty in California to federal tax charges that involved failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes.
Pardons under Biden and Trump
By the end of his four-year term, Joe Biden had issued 4,165 commutations and 80 pardons. This total was higher than the number issued by any previous president.
President Trump has issued more than 1,500 pardons and commutations during the first part of his current term. The largest part of these came in a single mass grant to roughly 1,600 people charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol events. Trump issued another 120 pardons and commutations outside that group.
Hunter Biden said in the interview: “I don’t think that the founders ever imagined Donald Trump. I don’t think they ever imagined the Trump family.” He did not offer specific proposals for changes to the pardon process.
Impact of Hunter Biden’s Remarks
The comments from Hunter Biden have renewed discussion about how presidents from both parties have used their constitutional power to grant pardons and commutations.
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Joe Biden’s pardon covered a wide period of time and came after his administration had denied any plans to issue it. Trump’s actions include the biggest single clemency action tied to the Capitol riot cases.
Hunter Biden’s tax case centered on income from business dealings in countries including China, Ukraine and Romania during the time his father was vice president. The gun conviction involved a 2018 purchase of a revolver in Delaware.
The broad scope of the pardon shielded him from any other potential federal charges across a full decade. Trump’s mass clemency for Jan. 6 defendants included people convicted of offenses ranging from minor trespassing to assault on police officers.
These contrasting uses of the same presidential authority continue to fuel arguments over fairness and consistency in the justice system.
