Some Americans have urged President Joe Biden to pardon newly elected President Donald Trump after the Democrat cleared his son Hunter’s criminal record.
Biden made the shock announcement Sunday evening that he would grant a presidential pardon to his troubled son, calling his prosecution “selective” and “unfair.”
He did so after the White House repeatedly denied plans to pardon his son, who will be pardoned for any crimes he may have committed “from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024.”
Following the shock decision, many social media users asked whether Biden would also pardon Trump, who was convicted in a hush-money case in New York City over payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. However, Biden cannot forgive that conviction because it was a state crime.
Still, many have argued that Trump also faces politically motivated cases and should therefore be pardoned in the same way as Hunter.
“Of course Joe Biden pardons his son. You would do the same,” said one X user.
“What he should do at the same time is pardon Trump for all federal crimes, make a speech saying political justice must end — and then lean on the governors to pardon Trump for all state crimes.”
“Biden should simply pardon Trump now,” Mike Solana wrote.
“Tell Pelosi to go crazy and retire a legend.”
President Joe Biden announced Sunday he would pardon his son Hunter, who pleaded guilty to gun charges and faced a tax lawsuit
A third X user added, “Biden says Hunter was persecuted for political reasons because of who he was.
‘Okay Joe. In that case, you should pardon Trump. What is good for the goose…’
While many are calling for a pardon from Trump, only New York’s governor can pardon that conviction because falsifying corporate records is a state crime.
Trump also faces charges in federal election interference cases and in a case in Georgia.
The pardon covers both the gun charge and Hunter’s guilty plea in a tax case. CNN reported that the judges overseeing his cases will most likely cancel the sentencing hearings he was scheduled to attend on December 12 for the gun case and on December 16 for the tax case.
The broad pardon also absolves him of any crimes he may have committed between Jan. 1, 2014, and Dec. 1, 2024, including his full term on the board of Ukrainian gas company Burisma, as well as much of his other overseas work, including in China.
Biden said in June that he would not pardon his son.
Social media users have asked Biden to also pardon newly elected President Donald Trump
“From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Department of Justice’s decision-making, and I have kept my word even as I watched my son be selectively and unjustly prosecuted,” Biden said in a statement. declaration.
The president claimed that people “are almost never brought to trial on a felony charge solely because of the way they filled out a gun form…It is clear that Hunter was treated differently.”
Biden railed against “several of my political opponents in Congress,” who he claimed were turning the accusations into a public spectacle “to attack me and oppose my election.”
He added that the plea deal that Hunter, who has since vowed to “make amends” for his crimes, reached with the Justice Department was a “fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.” But that deal fell through at the last minute due to political pressure.
“No reasonable person looking at the facts of Hunter’s cases could come to any conclusion other than that Hunter was singled out solely because he is my son – and that is wrong,” he continued.
Biden says there have been attempts to “break” Hunter and destroy what he says is five and a half years of sobriety.
“By breaking Hunter, they tried to break me too, and there’s no reason to think it will stop here. Enough is enough.’
The president did not shy away from pointing out that his son’s love guided his decision-making, but emphasized that he was “fair.”
Biden had long said he would not forgive his troubled son
“Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I’ve struggled with this, I also believe that raw politics has infected this process and led to a miscarriage of justice — and when I made this decision this weekend, there was no feel like postponing it further.’
Hunter was last seen vacationing with his father and the rest of the Bidens on Nantucket, Rhode Island.
“I hope Americans will understand why a father and a president would come to this decision.”
Hunter himself released a statement using his full name: “Robert Hunter Biden.”
“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 purposes,” he said.
“Despite all this, I have remained sober for over five years thanks to my deep faith and the unwavering love and support of my family and friends.”
‘During my addiction I lost many opportunities and advantages. In recovery, we can have the opportunity to make amends where possible and rebuild our lives if we never take for granted the grace extended to us.”
“I will never take for granted the clemency given to me today and will dedicate the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering.”