President Joe Biden confirmed at the G7 summit in Italy that he would not intervene to reduce his son Hunter Biden’s prison sentence for a federal gun charge.
This statement comes a day after the White House chose not to address the matter.
Hunter Biden was convicted by a Delaware jury on Tuesday for falsifying information about his drug use during the purchase of a revolver in 2018.
“I said I abide by the jury decision. I will do that. And I will not pardon him,” the president said Thursday.
When questioned, Mr. Biden reiterated his stance that he would not exercise his presidential authority to commute or reduce his son’s sentence. Prior to the verdict, he had affirmed that he wouldn’t consider a pardon if his son was found guilty.
However, following the verdict, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment and referred to the president’s earlier statements.
In the United States, presidents can commute sentences for federal convictions, opting to lessen the punishment while keeping the conviction on record.
They also have the authority to issue full pardons, which erase convictions entirely. It’s important to note that these powers do not extend to cases tried at the state level.
“I’m extremely proud of my son, Hunter,” President Biden said during Thursday’s news conference. “He has overcome an addiction. He’s one of the brightest, most decent men I know. And I am satisfied that I’m not going to do anything.”
Hunter Biden entered a plea of not guilty to charges involving falsifying information about his drug use on a federal background check and possession of a firearm while allegedly addicted to or using drugs.
The 54-year-old claimed he was in recovery at the time of purchasing the gun in October 2018. Legal analysts suggest that despite facing a potential maximum sentence of 25 years, such a lengthy term is improbable.
There is ongoing debate among constitutional scholars regarding whether a president’s power to pardon extends to themselves. Notably, if elected in November, Donald Trump could potentially be the first to test this precedent in light of his pending federal criminal cases.