2nd December, 2024
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The White House has defended President Joe Biden’s controversial decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, stating that the president wrestled with the decision before ultimately taking action.
During a briefing aboard Air Force One on Monday, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre revealed that the decision was finalised over the weekend.
Addressing reporters, she said, “He wrestled with it. It was not an easy decision to make. The president believed enough is enough and took action.”
Jean-Pierre declined to comment on whether Biden discussed the matter with Hunter while they were together, but noted that in recent years, political opponents had openly declared their intentions to target Hunter.
She emphasised that Biden’s move reflected his belief that the legal process had been tainted by politics.
In response to questions over whether the president’s decision contradicted his earlier stance against pardoning his son, Jean-Pierre encouraged the public to read Biden’s full statement.
She said, “The president believes in the justice system and the Department of Justice, but he also believes that his son was singled out politically.”
The press secretary also read statements from legal experts defending Biden’s decision, highlighting their arguments that the president acted within his rights and with justifiable concern over perceived political targeting.
When asked about the possibility of additional pardons, Jean-Pierre indicated that Biden was approaching the matter thoughtfully.
“There’s a process in place, obviously. I won’t get ahead of the president, but you could expect more announcements, more pardons and clemencies at the end of this term,” she stated.
The decision has sparked heated debate, with critics questioning the president’s impartiality and supporters commending his willingness to confront a politically sensitive issue head-on.
