President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of Hunter Biden seems to have shielded his son from ongoing criminal inquiries, amid threats and claims from President-elect Donald Trump and his key law enforcement appointees.

Trump has made remarks about targeting “the entire Biden crime family,” while his nominated officials have suggested that Hunter has committed offenses beyond his established criminal record, labeling him as generally “corrupt.”

Several of Trump’s anticipated nominees have reiterated this sentiment. Kristi Noem, his choice for Homeland Security, remarked on Newsmax in June that the gun-related charges involving Hunter were “minimal compared to his many other crimes.”

Biden’s pardon issued on Sunday not only exempted Hunter from sentencing due to his federal gun and tax convictions but also prohibited any future federal prosecutions concerning actions he took between January 1, 2014, and that Sunday. This timeframe covers Hunter’s international business activities, which have been scrutinized by Republican-led congressional inquiries. However, these investigations have not provided evidence of President Biden receiving any funds from Hunter’s business ventures, nor have they resulted in additional charges against him.

The president defended the pardon, asserting that Hunter Biden faced disproportionate scrutiny compared to other defendants, mainly due to Republican political pressure.

Nevertheless, critics argue that the pardon undermined the Democratic stance on the rule of law.

When asked for his thoughts on the remarks made by Trump’s nominees regarding Hunter Biden, Trump’s spokesperson Steven Cheung indicated that Trump’s legal challenges have demonstrated that the prosecutors “are misusing the justice system.” Trump is currently dealing with multiple federal cases, a case in Georgia, and a case in New York related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election, his management of classified documents, and a hush money payment linked to the 2016 election.

“This system of justice needs reform, and due process must be assured for every American, which is precisely what President Trump will accomplish upon his return to the White House, backed by a strong mandate from the public,” Cheung stated.

Hunter Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, did not reply when contacted for a statement.

Here’s an overview of the inquiries into Hunter Biden and the statements made by Trump and his law enforcement nominees:

President-elect Donald Trump

Donald Trump has seemingly suggested the possibility of prosecuting Hunter Biden.

In June 2023, following his indictment for mishandling classified documents, Trump announced his intention to appoint a special prosecutor tasked with investigating Joe Biden and the entire Biden family, according to the New York Times.

This fall, Trump shared an image on Truth Social portraying Hunter Biden and several others, including Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, wearing prison jumpsuits.

Kash Patel, Trump’s FBI Nominee

Kash Patel, who is set to lead the FBI under Trump, has claimed that Hunter Biden “is guilty of breaching the Foreign Agents Registration Act,” a law that mandates certain foreign agents to declare their associations with foreign entities by registering with the U.S. government.

Patel made this assertion in a video clip shared by Just the News, which was posted on X by Ron Filipkowski, editor-in-chief of MeidasTouch Network.

Patel accused Hunter Biden of failing to register due to his international business endeavors.

Pam Bondi, Trump’s Attorney General Nominee

Hunter Biden has been a central topic for Pam Bondi, Trump’s nominated Justice Department head. During Trump’s first impeachment, she delivered a 30-minute defense presentation focusing entirely on Hunter Biden.

Trump faced impeachment by the House in 2019 for allegedly abusing his power by withholding military assistance and extending a White House invitation to pressure Ukraine into investigating.

Joe Biden was acquitted by the Senate following a trial where Pam Bondi represented Trump. Bondi contended that Hunter’s role on the board of the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma, amid corruption allegations, provided “grounds” for Trump to bring this matter to Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky’s attention.

During the 2020 Republican National Convention, Bondi continued her criticism of Hunter, alleging he was linked to “corruption” related not only to Burisma but also to business dealings in China.

In June, Bondi revisited the topic of Hunter in a Fox News interview, stating that evidence from Hunter’s laptop demonstrated that Joe Biden had connections to his son’s business activities.

Despite House investigations, there was no evidence found to support claims that Joe Biden received payments from Hunter’s business operations. Nevertheless, House Republicans maintained that Hunter leveraged his father’s name to advance his own business interests.

Kristi Noem, Trump’s Nominee for Homeland Security Secretary

In June, Kristi Noem, nominated by Trump to helm the Homeland Security Department, remarked on Newsmax that Hunter Biden’s recent gun-related convictions were “the least concerning of all his crimes.”

Noem expressed her belief that Joe Biden should also face scrutiny due to the findings on his son’s laptop, asserting that “future trials should be brought forward and completed.”

During an appearance on “The Sean Hannity Show” that same month, Noem stated that Hunter Biden, along with his father, family members, government agencies, and prosecutors, should all “be held accountable.”

Noem emphasized, “I believe there are hundreds of people who have participated in the corruption that the Biden family has been involved in, and all of them need to be held accountable. Every single one.”

Investigations Related to Hunter Biden

In June, a 12-member jury found Hunter Biden guilty of lying about his drug use to acquire a gun and of unlawfully possessing that firearm. In September, he also pleaded guilty to a combination of felony and misdemeanor tax offenses. Just before accepting his pardon last Sunday, Hunter was due to be sentenced for these two separate cases in December. He could have faced up to 25 years in prison for the gun charges and up to 17 years for the tax violations, although actual sentences may be less severe, possibly without jail time.

Investigations concerning Hunter Biden have broadened over time.

In August, Republican-led House committees issued a report claiming that Biden’s relatives, including Hunter, had received $27 million from foreign sources since 2014, while Joe Biden was vice president. Part of Hunter’s income stemmed from his role at Burisma. Hunter had previously stated in an interview with ABC News that he likely wouldn’t have been appointed to that position if his last name weren’t “Biden.”

The report suggested that Hunter routinely placed his father on speakerphone during meetings with foreign business partners from Ukraine, China, Russia, and beyond. Witnesses claimed that these calls were often just casual chats or small talk.

While the report did not allege any illegal activities by Hunter regarding these business dealings, they have nonetheless provided ammunition for Trump supporters who insinuate that Hunter could have engaged in illegal behavior beyond his firearm and tax issues.

The Republican-led House Ways and Means Committee also accused Hunter Biden in May of perjury regarding his foreign business dealings, which would constitute a crime if verified.