A presidential pardon is a rare move, and it should be so.
A pardon in a not yet resolved case should be even more exceptional, let alone to do it for the president’s own flesh and blood. Even in highly controversial cases and under the most contentious circumstances (think Gerald Ford pardoning Richard Nixon), the president waited until after the end of the criminal procedure.
Yet, as one of his final acts in office, Joe Biden granted a full pardon to his embattled son, Hunter Biden.
A decision that has ignited a firestorm of criticism (and not only in Republican circles), not just because of its brazenness but because it encapsulates the contradictions, hypocrisy, and failures of Biden’s presidency.
Biden’s choice to pardon Hunter completely deviates from the customs of the act.
Hunter Biden faces numerous accusations, including but not limited to tax evasion, dubious business practices in China, and trafficking of influence in Romania and Ukraine. The evidence is overwhelming: hard drives with incriminating emails, testimonies of former business associates and various financial records.
A bleak picture, indeed.
No wonder that rather than waiting for justice to be served, President Biden took preemptive measures to guarantee that his son would not face any repercussions.
Yet, this pardon isn’t just about Hunter Biden.
It sets a troubling precedent, highlighting once again that the powerful can use the justice system as a shield to protect their own, undermining the very principles of democracy Biden claims to defend.
This pardon could mean two things.
First, President Biden knows without doubt that the accusations are true, thus he thinks that this is the only way he can save Hunter and his own name.
Second, the president of the United States of America doesn’t believe in the justice system of his own country, knowing or fearing that it can be manipulated to meet the interests of certain political groups.
It is up to the reader to decide which version is better.
Either way, one thing is clear.
For several years, the Democrats, led by President Biden, used the judicial system as a political weapon against their main opponent, Donald Trump.
The legal proceedings against Trump have ranged from serious to ludicrous, involving anything from confidential papers to dubious allegations of electoral interference. However, despite their best efforts—and a highly politicized Department of Justice — they were unable to bring him down.
The Biden administration, with its lofty rhetoric about democracy and the rule of law, defended these moves as necessary to safeguard the country from an alleged existential threat.
This makes the irony even more bitter: while Democrats were relentlessly pursuing Trump, Biden’s son avoids accountability for corruption crimes spanning continents.
Hunter Biden’s business dealings, notably with Burisma in Ukraine and his Romanian connections, were not just ethically dubious – they were textbook examples of influence peddling. Given the size of the operation, it seems unlikely that the father had absolutely zero knowledge about the son’s dealings. Emails suggest Hunter Biden traded on his father’s name to secure lucrative deals, with promises of “access” to the then-Vice President. In China, he was involved in ventures that allegedly funneled millions to the Biden family.
A son gone astray? Unlikely. It looks more like a deeply connected web of corruption.
Biden’s pardon of his son reveals his true interests, which are self-preservation and nepotism rather than justice or democracy.
For years, Biden preached about the importance of the rule of law, but this act of clemency demonstrates that those beliefs are negotiable.
This hypocrisy should feel as a bitter pill for Americans who expected honesty and sincerity.
Throughout his presidency, Biden portrayed himself as a unifier, protector of democracy, and president for all Americans. However, his final deed demonstrates his willingness to bend the law for his own profit while lecturing others on its necessity.
The timing is understandable.
With the Republican-led House intensifying its investigations into Hunter and threats of retaliation against the Biden family, the outgoing president was certainly concerned about what the future held for his son. The pardon is a desperate gesture motivated by fear, not strength—fear that the same legal system that was used against Trump would show no mercy when the tables were reversed.
This gesture reveals more about Joe Biden’s presidency than any speech or policy ever could. It portrays a man who talks about democracy but undermines it, who purports to be a champion of justice, unless when it comes to his own family.
Joe Biden’s presidency has been defined by contradictions, and this pardon is its ultimate expression which will be one of the most memorable.
In trying to shield his son, he has tarnished his own legacy and further eroded Americans’ faith in their institutions. The pardon is not just a favor for Hunter; it’s a final, damning statement on Biden’s priorities and principles—or lack thereof.
As the dust settles on the Biden era, this act will not be remembered as a father’s compassion but as a president’s betrayal of the values he swore to uphold.
Alas, the world had to wait until the end to see Joe Biden’s real face.
A face of hypocrisy, nepotism, and cynical disregard for the rule of law.
