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White House Addresses Possibility of Commuting Hunter Biden’s Sentence
On Wednesday, the White House did not rule out the possibility of President Biden commuting the sentence of his son, Hunter Biden, following a jury’s guilty verdict on all three charges related to a gun purchase.
During a press briefing on Air Force One, en route to Italy for the G-7 summit, administration officials faced questions about the verdict for the first time. The president had previously stated he would not pardon his son and reiterated his intention to accept the trial’s outcome after Hunter Biden was found guilty on Tuesday.
However, when asked about commuting the sentence, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre avoided a direct answer, referring to Biden’s earlier statement to ABC that he would not pardon his son.
“I haven’t spoken to the president about this since the verdict came out, and as we all know, the sentencing hasn’t even been scheduled yet,” Jean-Pierre said regarding the possibility of commutation. “He was asked about a pardon, he was asked about the trial specifically, and he answered very clearly, very forthright. As we know, the sentencing hasn’t even been scheduled yet. I don’t have anything beyond what the president said. He’s been very clear about this.”
Hunter Biden’s sentencing date has not yet been set but is expected to occur about a month before November’s Election Day. He was convicted of lying on a federal form about his drug addiction while purchasing a firearm in 2018. The maximum penalty for his charges includes 25 years in prison and $750,000 in fines, though first-time offenders rarely receive the maximum sentence.
Following the verdict, President Biden made an unplanned trip to Wilmington, Delaware, on Tuesday, and the White House canceled its scheduled press briefing. Hunter Biden and his family met the president on the tarmac, but Jean-Pierre did not disclose how much time they spent together before Hunter returned to his Los Angeles home. President Biden spent the night in Wilmington before departing for Italy.
When asked about the president’s location when the verdict was delivered, Jean-Pierre declined to provide details. “This is about his family, this is about his son who he loves and obviously supports,” she said.
Throughout his presidency, Biden has commuted dozens of sentences for nonviolent drug offenses. In April, he granted clemency to 16 individuals convicted of nonviolent drug offenses and commuted the sentences of 31 Americans serving time for similar offenses, all of whom were on home confinement.