Hunter Biden, the youngest son of President Joe Biden, has been at the center of numerous controversies over the years, from struggles with addiction to criminal charges. Most recently, he was granted a full and unconditional pardon by his father, sparking widespread debate.
Hunter Biden’s struggles began in his teenage years, where he started drinking heavily and later escalated to drug use during college. His battle with addiction led to multiple stints in rehab. In 2013, he joined the U.S. Navy Reserve but was discharged on his first day after testing positive for cocaine.
The death of his older brother, Beau Biden, in 2015 from brain cancer further deepened his addiction. During this period, Hunter reportedly consumed alcohol excessively and rarely left home except to purchase vodka.
After his divorce from Kathleen Buhle in 2017, who publicly spoke about his severe addictions, Hunter’s personal life unraveled further. Buhle accused him of infidelity, including an affair with Hallie Biden, his brother Beau’s widow. Around this time, Hunter began a relationship with Zoe Kestan, who testified that he was heavily addicted to crack cocaine.
In October 2018, Hunter purchased a .38 caliber handgun, lying on a federal form about his drug use at the time. This act led to federal gun charges. He also faced tax evasion allegations, with prosecutors detailing how he failed to pay over $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019 despite earning $7 million from international business dealings. Instead, Hunter allegedly spent millions on luxury items, drugs, and escorts, labeling some as business expenses.
Hunter became the subject of intense scrutiny during the 2020 presidential campaign after a laptop he left at a Delaware repair shop contained incriminating files. The device revealed drug-fueled escapades, explicit images, and emails detailing business dealings in Ukraine and China. The FBI launched an investigation into Hunter’s activities in 2020.
In June 2024, Hunter was convicted on firearm charges and later pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion charges. He faced up to 25 years in prison. However, just days before his sentencing, President Joe Biden issued a pardon, sparing his son from imprisonment.
President Biden defended his decision, stating that Hunter had been “unfairly prosecuted” and accusing political motives of influencing the legal process. “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision,” Biden said, describing the move as necessary to correct a “miscarriage of justice.”
The pardon has drawn sharp criticism, particularly from incoming President Donald Trump, who condemned the move as favoritism. Trump questioned whether the pardon extended to those imprisoned for their involvement in the January 6 Capitol riots, adding fuel to the controversy.
2014: Discharged from the Navy Reserve for cocaine use.
2015: Struggles with alcohol intensify after Beau Biden’s death.
2016: Addiction escalates to crack cocaine use.
2017: Begins a relationship with Hallie Biden after his divorce.
2018: Buys a handgun, falsely claiming he was not using drugs.
2019: Leaves a laptop with incriminating material at a repair shop.
2020: FBI investigates Hunter’s business dealings and laptop contents.
2023: Charged with lying about drug use when purchasing the handgun and tax evasion.
2024: Convicted on firearm charges in June; pleads guilty to tax evasion in September. Pardoned by Joe Biden in December.
The pardon has ignited a fiery debate, dividing public opinion over the intersection of personal loyalty and presidential powers.
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