Hunter Biden has acknowledged that the presidential pardon his father, former President Joe Biden, granted him in December 2024 was damaging to the country, the Constitution and his father's own legacy, even as he defended the decision as an act of parental protection. Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with Newsnight, Biden addressed the controversy surrounding the clemency, his father's declining health, and his own future outside politics.
Reflecting on the criticism the pardon generated, Biden said he understood why people objected but asked interviewers to consider the situation from a father's perspective.
What would you have thought of my dad if he did not do that for me.
It's something that is easily criticised and for good reason.
It's not fair… All I know is that I'm grateful that he did it for me.
He conceded that the move was "not good" for ordinary Americans, for the Constitution, or for his father's historical standing, but maintained that Joe Biden acted primarily out of fear that his son would be pursued by the incoming Trump administration.
I was the only one in the world that could have gotten what I got from the only person in the world who could give it, my father.
Biden was also firm in denying that the two had ever discussed the pardon before it was issued, arguing that any such conversation would inevitably have leaked.
There is no way that you can have those kinds of discussions that would not become public.
What did the pardon actually cover?
The clemency, issued in December 2024, was a full and unconditional pardon that shielded Hunter Biden from his federal gun conviction, a tax case to which he had pleaded guilty, and any other federal offences he may have committed between 1 January 2014 and 1 December 2024, according to detailed reporting on the pardon's scope. The decision reversed years of public assurances from Joe Biden that he would not use his presidential authority to intervene in his son's legal troubles, including an earlier pledge, noted by NBC News, that he would not pardon his son even if convicted on gun charges. When he ultimately granted the pardon, the former president said his son had been "selectively and unfairly prosecuted."
In separate remarks made in other interviews, Hunter Biden has gone further than in the Newsnight conversation, telling interviewers that his father "chose me over his legacy," according to NBC News, and adding that this sacrifice illustrated the depth of his father's love. He has also said, per a separate report, that he does not believe his father would have granted the pardon had Donald Trump not won the 2024 election, warning that Trump's return to power would have made him "an incredibly easy target" for prosecution.
How is Joe Biden's health affecting the family?
Biden grew visibly emotional discussing his father's cancer diagnosis, pausing at points to compose himself during the conversation.
Cancer is really hard. It's really sad to watch.
My dad is, to this day, the centre of our family. He's the best father, the best husband, the best grandfather.
He described the disease as having spread and characterised its effects as "very painful" and "very debilitating," while expressing a wish that his father would be more forthcoming about his suffering.
The only thing that I say about my dad, about his health right now, is I wish he would complain more.
What did he say about the 2024 debate that ended Biden's campaign?
Biden recalled watching his father's disastrous debate performance in June 2024 from his home in California and recognising immediately that something was wrong.
I was shocked. I knew something was wrong.
He has previously attributed the poor showing to physical exhaustion from a heavy travel schedule, though following his father's cancer diagnosis he has raised the possibility that the illness may already have been present and affecting his performance at the time. He said his father remains politically engaged and intends to keep speaking publicly despite his health.
Does Hunter Biden have political ambitions of his own?
No. Asked about speculation that he might pursue elected office, including a potential presidential run, Biden said he has "no interest in elected politics" and dismissed the idea outright. He said he would rather focus his energy on advocacy around addiction and recovery, a subject he believes can unite Americans across political lines.
I believe that addiction and the hope of recovery are something that connect us all.
Asked what he admired most about his father, Biden pointed to his resilience rather than his political achievements.
I'm most proud of his resilience. He's proven time and time again that when you get knocked down, you can get up. He's the toughest man I know.
What else has been happening around the Biden family recently?
The interview comes amid other recent controversies touching the family. According to earlier coverage, Republicans released audio from Joe Biden's 2017 memoir interviews in which he discusses classified material found on tape, recordings that were obtained during a 2024 special counsel investigation that ultimately did not result in charges. Separately, Melania Trump has threatened legal action against Hunter Biden over claims linked to Jeffrey Epstein, and Biden has previously clashed publicly with actor George Clooney over his father's decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.
What happens next?
Hunter Biden's comments to Newsnight were also released as a separate video interview covering the same core themes, according to the broadcast version of the conversation. His willingness to keep discussing the pardon and its fallout across multiple interviews suggests he intends to continue shaping public perception of the decision, though no further legal proceedings or scheduled hearings related to his case have been announced.
Key Facts
- Joe Biden granted his son a full, unconditional pardon in December 2024 covering federal offences from 1 January 2014 to 1 December 2024.
- The pardon covered Hunter Biden's federal gun conviction and a tax case to which he had pleaded guilty.
- Joe Biden had previously said publicly he would not pardon his son if convicted on gun-related charges.
- Hunter Biden said he believes the pardon would not have happened without Donald Trump's 2024 election win.
- Joe Biden's cancer has spread and is described by his son as "very painful" and "very debilitating."
