White House asked if president would pardon son amid new charges

Former U.S. attorney Brett Tolman asserts that due to the specific nature of the additional offenses with which he was just charged, Hunter Biden would likely spend no more than five years in prison, as opposed to the maximum possible sentence of seventeen years.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded negatively when asked by the media on Friday whether President Joe Biden would grant a pardon to his son Hunter, as Fox News reported.

Hunter is accused of nine counts of criminal tax evasion at the federal level. According to reports from the White House, President Biden will not grant clemency to his son.

The White House's Official Statement

"Nothing has changed. That is still the case," Jean-Pierre said when asked whether Biden will pardon Hunter.

"I mean, the president has said this before, and he will continue to say, which is that he loves his son and supports him as he continues to rebuild his life.

"And I'm going to be really careful to not comment on this and refer to Department of Justice or my colleagues at the White House counsel.

"But that's what I'm going to – I'm not going to go beyond telling you all what the president has said over and over again. He's proud of his son, and he is building his life back," Jean-Pierre said.

Background on Charges

As the special counsel investigation into the financial transactions of President Biden's son escalates against the backdrop of the 2024 race, Hunter Biden was indicted on nine new criminal charges in California on Thursday.

The indictment comes alongside the intensification of the inquiry.

A total of three felonies and six misdemeanors are included in the newly filed accusations, which are in addition to the federal weapons charges that were brought in Delaware.

Those charges assert that Hunter Biden violated regulations that prohibited drug users from possessing firearms.

If he is found guilty of the latest tax-related charges, Hunter Biden, who is 53 years old, may face a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison.