President Joe Biden told ABC News on June 6 that he would not pardon his son Hunter Biden if he is convicted in a federal gun trial, which is in its fourth day as jurors hear testimony from sister-in-law Hallie Biden and others.
David Muir of ABC asked President Biden during an interview at the Normandy American Cemetery on the 80th anniversary of D-Day if the commander-in-chief would accept the outcome of the trial.
Mr. Muir also asked President Biden if he would rule out a pardon for his son if the jury finds him guilty of the charges.
President Biden responded “Yes” to both questions, signaling that he would likely not pardon his son if he faces a guilty verdict.
Hunter Biden is currently facing three felony charges from an Oct. 12, 2018, firearm purchase.
Authorities accuse him of lying to the federally licensed gun store by illegally claiming on his application that he was not a drug user at the time and then unlawfully possessing the gun for 11 days.
Prosecutors have pointed to self-admissions of Hunter Biden’s ongoing drug use around the time of the gun sale to argue he lied on the form. Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to the charges in October 2023 after special counsel David Weiss indicted him.
Mr. Muir also asked President Biden about the historic criminal trial of his opponent, former President Donald Trump, which resulted in a 34-count guilty verdict for falsifying business records.
President Trump has labeled the trial and its verdict political persecution.
“He’s trying to undermine” the rule of law, President Biden said to Mr. Muir.
“He got a fair trial. The jury spoke.”
The two also discussed President Biden’s recent executive order that closes the border to asylum seekers after the daily number of border crossings exceeds 2,500 between ports of entry.
The president signed the order months after the bipartisan border security bill failed in the Senate. Democrats blame Republicans for killing the bill at President Trump’s behest.
“Do you wish you had done it sooner?” Mr. Muir asked President Biden.
“No,” responded the president.
President Biden also discussed his growing concern about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s military assault against Hamas in Gaza, suggesting that Israeli leader should prioritize civilian safety while conducting operations in Rafah, a town in south Gaza.
“I think he’s listening to me,” President Biden said about Mr. Netanyahu.
President Biden and House Democrat leadership were against the bill, with House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) calling it an “unprecedented limitation on President Biden’s executive authority and administrative discretion to implement U.S. foreign policy.”
