Hunter Biden breaks silence after Presidential pardon: 'Will never ...

After U.S. President Joe Biden backtracked on his promise not to interfere in his son Hunter Biden’s criminal cases by granting him a presidential pardon, Hunter expressed gratitude for the "mercy" extended to him. He acknowledged his past mistakes and emphasized his commitment to making amends. Reflecting on his recovery journey, he vowed never to take the clemency “for granted.” Also read: Before Biden: Trump, Clinton, and Carter’s most notorious presidential pardons for family members

President Joe Biden has issued a presidential pardon for his son Hunter Biden(REUTERS)

Hunter Biden has spoken out for the first time following his father, President Joe Biden’s, decision to grant him a full presidential pardon, which everyone saw coming ahead of Trump’s return. The pardon, issued Sunday night, spares Hunter from upcoming sentencing hearings for gun and tax-related charges—cases the president described as politically motivated. Also read: What were the charges against Hunter Biden before the presidential pardon?

In a statement, Hunter acknowledged his past mistakes, and emphasised his commitment to making amends. “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.”

Reflecting on his recovery journey, he vowed never to take the clemency "for granted," calling it an opportunity to rebuild and move forward despite the intense scrutiny on his family. Hunter said he managed to maintain “more than five years of sobriety,” before admitting to having “squandered numerous opportunities and privileges during his battle with addiction.”

Adding further, “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. I will never take the clemency I have been given today for granted and will devote the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering.”

In June, as Hunter Biden faced trial in Delaware over gun charges, President Joe Biden firmly stated, “I abide by the jury decision,” and ruled out any possibility of a pardon or clemency. Speaking to Time magazine, Biden emphasized, “I’ll do it, and I won’t forgive him.”

What’s interesting is even after Donald Trump’s victory in the November 5 elections, the White House echoed the same sentiment. On November 8, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated, “Our position remains unchanged—no pardon or clemency for Hunter Biden.” However, following the Biden family's Thanksgiving gathering, the stance shifted. Pardoning his son, President Biden accused political opponents of exploiting his family to attack him.

In his statement, Biden who vowed to stay away from the case, said, “I believe raw politics has infected this process, and it led to a miscarriage of justice,” adding that Hunter was “singled out only because he is my son.”

Reacting to the move, President-elect Donald Trump taking to his Truth Social 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.”

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