President Joe Biden is keeping his troubled son closer and closer as problems mount for the younger Biden.
Hunter Biden has spent the last two weekends with his father at Camp David, watched July Fourth fireworks from the White House balcony, and even attended a state dinner just two days after pleading guilty to federal gun and tax charges.
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“My son has done nothing wrong,” the president said in a May interview. “I trust him, I have faith in him, and it impacts my presidency by making me feel proud of him.”
Hunter Biden’s presence in the headlines has only grown since then, correlating with him spending more time with his famous father. Even news stories ostensibly unrelated to Hunter Biden, such as the cocaine recently found at the White House, bring his name back into the headlines.
Hunter Biden, 53, has suffered previous bouts of addiction to crack cocaine, which he wrote about in his 2015 memoir, Beautiful Things.
While initial reports held that the cocaine was found in the White House library, administration officials have since insisted it was located in the West Wing in an area where both staffers and tourists had access, implying that it did not originate from within the president’s immediate circle.
But press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre would not provide details on exactly where it was found, pointing to an ongoing investigation by the Secret Service.
The lack of clarity prompted a frustrated tweet from George W. Bush-era press secretary Ari Fleischer.
“You have got to be kidding me,” he wrote. “Cocaine was found at the WH and authorities aren’t saying exactly where it was found. If it’s in the Old Executive Office Building, it’s likely staff. If it’s in the mansion, it’s likely Hunter. Reporters do your job.”
You have got to be kidding me. Cocaine was found at the WH and authorities aren’t saying exactly where it was found. If it’s the Old Executive Office Building, it’s likely staff. If it’s the mansion, it’s likely Hunter.
Reporters do your job. https://t.co/aPfGnn4Wof
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) July 4, 2023
Reporters asked a host of cocaine-related questions during Wednesday’s briefing, though none asked directly if it was Hunter Biden’s. The president’s son was in the building on Friday, and the cocaine was found Sunday, though Jean-Pierre said tours were conducted through the West Wing over the weekend.
It was the second time Hunter Biden’s presence on the White House grounds stirred controversy in less than a month.
In late June, the younger Biden was invited to a state dinner just days after reaching a plea deal with the Department of Justice for federal tax and gun charges. Attorney General Merrick Garland was also present, prompting outrage from Republicans.
“But let’s be clear: House Republicans will NOT stop our aggressive investigation into the Biden Family’s shady dealings and influence peddling,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) tweeted.
While some question why the president spends so much time with his son given the headaches, a report from NBC suggests he sees it as a way to keep Hunter Biden under close supervision and out of trouble. The outlet reported that when aides question the decision, Joe Biden’s response is: “Hands off my family.”
The White House tried to spin Hunter Biden’s recent plea deal with the DOJ as the end of its investigation, but GOPers described it as a new beginning, pointing at what they see as disparate treatment to that leveled at former President Donald Trump.
Yet another Hunter Biden-related controversy erupted when a text he reportedly sent to a Chinese business associate referencing his father emerged. Jean-Pierre and National Security Council spokesman John Kirby refused to answer questions about it.
While NBC reports that some Democrats are ill at ease about Hunter Biden’s continued presence before the swirl of White House reporters and press cameras, the president’s reaction signals that trend likely won’t end anytime soon.
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The public appears to be split on whether Joe Biden’s high-profile embrace of Hunter Biden is a sign of corruption or compassion.
A Reuters-Ipsos poll found that 60% of respondents believe the president is being a good father by supporting his son, while half believe Hunter Biden is receiving preferential treatment from the DOJ due to his privilege as the president’s son.
