US President Joe Biden would not pardon his son Hunter if he were convicted in the ongoing criminal trial for illegal possession of weapons. In a TV interview, Biden answered the question whether he was prepared to accept the outcome of the trial in the state of Delaware with a curt “yes”. Muir asked whether Biden also ruled out a pardon, which the US President also answered in the affirmative, according to a statement distributed in advance by ABC News. The broadcast of the interview, which was recorded in Normandy on the day commemorating the Allied landings, was scheduled for Thursday evening (local time).
Hunter Biden is accused of making false statements when purchasing a weapon in October 2018 and concealing his drug addiction at the time. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison. However, it is unclear to what extent the judge in charge would push the maximum sentence in this case, as he has no previous convictions.
The US President’s statements contrast with the behavior of his predecessor, Donald Trump, who is facing several criminal trials and has already indicated that he would reverse the verdicts if he won the election.