Trump Criticizes Biden’s Pardon of Hunter Biden, Questions Its Implications for January 6 Rioters
New York, Dec 2: President-elect Donald Trump has sharply criticized President Joe Biden for pardoning his son Hunter Biden, calling it “an abuse and miscarriage of justice” in a post on Truth Social. Trump questioned whether the pardon extended to those involved in the January 6 Capitol riots, who have been imprisoned for their actions.
In his Sunday night post, Trump asked: “Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?” This remark refers to individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol, which took place after Trump claimed that the 2020 election had been “stolen” from him. During the riots, his supporters stormed the Capitol, interrupting Congress’s certification of Joe Biden’s election victory, and threatening Vice President Mike Pence and lawmakers.
Trump has previously referred to the rioters who were convicted and imprisoned as “political prisoners” and “hostages,” claiming they were wrongfully prosecuted. He has expressed his intent to pardon them if he returns to the White House.
In contrast, Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter comes amid legal troubles related to tax evasion and a firearm charge. Announcing the pardon, Biden defended his decision, calling the charges against his son politically motivated and the result of raw political attacks. “The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” Biden stated.
Trump, who himself faces legal challenges, including two criminal convictions in New York, has similarly argued that his legal troubles are politically motivated. He has consistently maintained that the criminal cases against him are part of a broader effort to weaponize the justice system for political purposes.
Before Biden’s pardon, Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin referenced Trump’s accusations of selective prosecution, drawing parallels between Hunter Biden’s case and Trump’s legal battles. “There is a defense called selective prosecution… which essentially is the claim that Donald Trump has been making about why he was targeted,” Raskin said.
Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, criticized the pardon and the broader legal landscape, claiming that the Department of Justice (DOJ) under Democratic leadership has been used to target Trump and other conservatives. “The failed witch hunts against President Trump have proven that the Democrat-controlled DOJ and other radical prosecutors are guilty of weaponizing the justice system,” Cheung remarked.
Republican politicians also weighed in, with Senator John Barrasso calling the pardon an example of a “two-tier system of justice,” while Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene criticized the decision on Truth Social, claiming that Biden’s pardon was an admission of Hunter Biden’s criminal behavior.
While Biden’s decision has drawn sharp partisan lines, he expressed a personal rationale for his actions, stating, “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.”
Hunter Biden’s role in Trump’s first impeachment, which centered around allegations of pressuring Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden’s business dealings, further complicates the political dynamics. While the House of Representatives impeached Trump over the matter, the Senate ultimately acquitted him.
As the debate over the pardon continues, the case of Hunter Biden serves as another flashpoint in the polarized political climate leading up to the 2024 election.
