Hunter Biden has now openly admitted that his father only issued him a presidential pardon because Donald Trump reclaimed the White House in November 2024 — not because of any legal or moral justification.
In an interview published Monday on journalist Tommy Christopher’s Substack, the 55-year-old said the pardon “would not have” been granted under normal circumstances, but Trump’s return to power “changed everything.”
“Donald Trump went and changed everything,” Hunter said. “My dad would not have pardoned me if President Trump had not won.”
Hunter had pleaded guilty in 2024 to evading more than $1.4 million in federal taxes and was later convicted on felony gun charges. According to him, President Biden resisted a pardon while still in office — until Trump’s victory made the political risk too great.
Pardon Used as Political Shield
Hunter framed the pardon as a defensive move against what he described as Trump’s coming “revenge tour,” implying he believed he would become a main target of the new administration.
“He would have made me the easiest target — to intimidate, and to not just impact me, but impact my entire family into silence,” he said. “At least it’s not as easy for him to do with me being pardoned.”
Hunter also acknowledged just how extraordinary — and privileged — the decision was.
“I realize how privileged I am. I realize how lucky I am; I got something almost no one would have gotten,” he said.
Involvement in His Own Pardon Discussions
Last month, former White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients reportedly told House investigators that Hunter personally participated in clemency discussions inside the Biden White House. According to a source familiar with the testimony, Hunter was present in multiple meetings about his own pardon.
The account adds to growing scrutiny over Hunter Biden’s influence during his father’s presidency — and whether the pardon was an abuse of executive power motivated by political panic, not due process.
Fallout
Hunter’s latest comments appear to confirm critics’ long-standing accusation: that Joe Biden used presidential authority to protect his own family the moment Trump regained power.
What had been described by the Biden White House as an “act of compassion” is now being widely viewed as a strategic act of self-preservation — and a shield against accountability.
