WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump has linked President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon Hunter Biden, Joe’s son, with the rioters involved in the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021. Trump suggested that individuals charged for their role in the riot following his 2020 election defeat should also have their records cleared.

In a social media post, Trump referred to those facing charges from the Capitol riot as “hostages” and stated that the legal actions taken against them are “an abuse and miscarriage of Justice.”

While Trump did not specifically criticize the pardon of Hunter Biden, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., harshly criticized it. He remarked on social media early Monday that “The Bidens have almost irreparably undermined trust in our justice system through their manipulation of it.”

Joe Biden’s pardon of Hunter was announced after months of refutations that any such action would occur and followed a family gathering over Thanksgiving in Nantucket, Massachusetts, during which allegations surfaced about political interference in the Justice Department’s handling of cases.

In a statement released Sunday night, President Biden characterized the charges against his son related to federal tax and gun issues as stemming from “raw politics.” Hunter Biden is set to be sentenced for these charges later this month.

Hunter Biden had been found guilty by a Delaware jury for illegally purchasing and possessing a gun while being addicted to drugs. He also admitted guilt in California for failing to pay taxes over several years during this period.

President Biden explained his pardon by stating that Hunter was subjected to “selective and unfair prosecution” and that “raw politics tainted this process and caused a miscarriage of justice.”

He noted that a plea deal fell apart due to pressure from Congressional Republicans who sought to take credit for influencing the situation.

Joe Biden remarked that the charges against his son emerged only after some political rivals essentially incited them to undermine his presidency.

Both Joe and Hunter Biden mentioned Hunter’s over five years of sobriety in their discussions about granting the clemency.

Hunter Biden stated, “I have acknowledged and taken accountability for my errors during my hardest times with addiction—errors that have been utilized to publicly ridicule and shame my family for political gain.” He added, “During my addiction, I wasted numerous chances and privileges.”

Biden and White House Previously Denied Any Pardon for Hunter

For a significant time, the Biden administration consistently denied that a pardon for Hunter Biden would take place.

In a June interview with ABC News, President Biden firmly stated he would not pardon his son, responding with “No,” when asked during a trip to an economic summit.

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reinforced this position, declaring on September 5 that there would be no pardon or commutation of Hunter Biden’s sentence. “No, it is still very much a no,” she reiterated.

As of November 8, she has maintained that a pardon is not being considered.

“We have received this question multiple times,” Jean-Pierre noted. “Our response remains the same: no.”

Johnson highlighted these statements to criticize the pardon.

“President Biden repeatedly stated he would never pardon his son for serious offenses,” he said on X. “However, last night he unexpectedly granted a ‘Full and Unconditional Pardon’ for all actions Hunter committed over the past decade!”

While traveling to Angola, Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One that Biden had “agonized” over the choice. “Political opponents were vocal about targeting his son,” she shared. “One reason the president decided to grant the pardon was because it seemed his political adversaries would not let it go. They appeared unwilling to move on.”

During his first term, Trump frequently attacked Hunter Biden, and many prominent Republicans, including candidates for key positions in Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, had branded him a criminal long before the gun and tax charges.

The pardon was essential, stated Norm Eisen, special counsel for the House Judiciary Committee during Trump’s initial impeachment, because “Trump would have otherwise put Hunter in a very difficult position.”

Democrats view the pardon as justified but also a dangerous precedent

Reactions from Democrats regarding the pardon were varied.

Former Attorney General Eric Holder described the pardon as “justified,” asserting that most prosecutors wouldn’t have pursued the gun case unless the firearm was involved in a violent crime, a sentiment echoed by President Biden. Holder contrasted Hunter Biden’s situation with Trump’s claim to appoint MAGA supporter Kash Patel as FBI director.

“Consider a significantly more critical question,” Holder posed on X. “Do you honestly believe Kash Patel is suited to lead the nation’s top investigative law enforcement agency? The evident answer: absolutely not.”

Democratic Senator Gary Peters from Michigan criticized the pardon as an abuse of presidential power.

“President Biden’s choice to pardon his son was incorrect. A president’s family and associates shouldn’t receive preferential treatment,” Peters stated. “This misuse of power damages public trust in our government and encourages others to manipulate justice for their own gain.”

Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who is also a Democrat, mentioned that Biden’s pardon sets a harmful precedent that may lead to future abuses, contending that Hunter Biden “brought the legal issues he faced on himself.”

“As a father, I empathize with President @JoeBiden ’s natural urge to support his son by granting him a pardon, but I’m disheartened that he prioritized his family over the nation,” Polis remarked on social media. “This action sets a negative precedent that future presidents could exploit and will regrettably tarnish his legacy.”

What initiated the Hunter Biden investigation?

The inquiry into Hunter Biden’s conduct began during the initial Trump administration, which he made public in December 2020.

David Weiss, the U.S. attorney from Delaware, appointed by Trump and retained under Biden, ultimately negotiated a plea agreement where Hunter would plead guilty to two tax misdemeanors, which would likely result in no jail time. He could have participated in a pretrial program to avoid a gun charge if he avoided any criminal activity for two years.

Republicans in Congress denounced the agreement as a “sweetheart deal.” U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika rejected the agreement due to disagreements over what offenses it would include, with prosecutors indicating that they could still investigate Biden for failure to report foreign business endeavors under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

After Following the breakdown of the plea deal, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Weiss as a special counsel, enabling him to pursue his investigation with more autonomy. This resulted in two indictments related to gun and tax offenses.

Hunter Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, contended that the charges emerged from political pressure, asserting that the indictments were based on the same evidence previously reviewed during the plea negotiations. President Biden echoed this sentiment when he granted his pardon.

“If the plea deal had been upheld, it would have represented a fair and logical conclusion to Hunter’s legal issues,” Joe Biden stated.

Trump considers pardoning Jan. 6 defendants

The pardon was issued after Trump had long claimed that the Justice Department’s investigations into his actions were politically driven.

He labeled special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election as a biased witch hunt, criticizing special counsel Jack Smith for securing two indictments against him for allegedly trying to overturn the 2020 election and mishandling classified information after his presidency.

Trump has consistently contemplated granting pardons to those charged in the January 6 riot, describing them as political prisoners. Over 1,500 individuals have faced charges for their involvement in the January 6 events, with offenses ranging from minor misdemeanors to serious felonies, including seditious conspiracy, and more than 1,000 have entered guilty pleas.

“Biden is making the wrong choice by pardoning Hunter,” expressed John Bolton, a former national security adviser to Trump, on social media. “This will give Trump the freedom to pardon all his supporters, including those involved in January 6.”

“Does the pardon Joe gave to Hunter extend to the January 6 hostages, who have faced years of imprisonment?” Trump questioned on social media on Sunday. “This is a blatant abuse and miscarriage of justice!”

Republicans in the House dedicated years to investigating President Biden and his son for possible corruption linked to Hunter Biden’s overseas business relationships. The White House rejected these claims, insisting that lawmakers uncovered no direct evidence proving that Hunter Biden’s earnings benefited the president or impacted federal policy.

However, Representative James Comer, R-Ky., chair of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, continued to allege the president was involved in prolonged corruption with his son.

“It’s unfortunate that instead of being transparent about their long-running misconduct, President Biden and his family are attempting to evade accountability,” Comer stated.