Hunter vows to make ‘amends and rebuild lives’ after father Joe Biden pardons him

Following a presidential pardon from his father Joe, Hunter Biden expressed remorse and made commitments to assist those struggling with addiction.
In his statement, signed as ‘Robert Hunter Biden’, he acknowledged his past mistakes during his addiction struggles, which he noted had been used for political attacks against him and his family.
He highlighted his five-year sobriety achievement, crediting his faith and support network. Hunter attributed his legal troubles, including federal gun and tax fraud charges, to his documented substance abuse issues, Daily Mail reported.
“I have admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction – mistakes that have been exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport,” he said.

“Despite all of this, I have maintained my sobriety for more than five years because of my deep faith and the unwavering love and support of my family and friends,” he added.
Discussing his recovery journey, he acknowledged squandering opportunities whilst battling addiction. He expressed gratitude for the chance to rebuild his life and make amends where possible.
“In the throes of addiction, I squandered many opportunities and advantages. In recovery we can be given the opportunity to make amends where possible and rebuild our lives if we never take for granted the mercy that we have been afforded,” Hunter said.
The presidential pardon came as a surprise, contradicting earlier White House statements. President Biden defended his decision, citing what he viewed as selective prosecution of his son.
The president expressed concern about political motivations behind the charges, particularly regarding the gun form case. He maintained that Hunter’s treatment differed from typical cases.
The pardon sparked varied reactions, including comments from US President-elect Donald Trump‘s camp. Trump’s spokesperson criticised the Democrat-controlled justice system while Trump himself questioned pardons for January 6 defendants.
He wrote: ‘Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!’
Hunter’s legal team, led by Abbe Lowell, had previously argued their client was targeted for political reasons. The case revealed challenging family moments, particularly regarding Hunter’s substance abuse struggles.
The charges could have resulted in significant prison time, with the gun case carrying up to 25 years and the tax case up to 17 years. Hunter, now sober for over five years, had settled his tax obligations with assistance from a wealthy associate.