LONDON — Hunter Biden stated in an interview with BBC Newsnight that receiving a presidential pardon from his father was "not good" for the American people, the Constitution, or his father's legacy. The son of former US President Joe Biden defended the decision as a personal act of familial love during concerns over political targeting by the incoming administration.

Joe Biden granted his son a full and unconditional pardon in December 2024. The executive action covered Hunter Biden's federal gun conviction, a tax case he pleaded guilty to, and any federal offences committed between 2014 and 2024.

Former US President Joe Biden had repeatedly stated beforehand that he would not use the powers of the presidency to intervene in his son's legal cases. In announcing the pardon, Joe Biden said his son had been "selectively and unfairly prosecuted".

Hunter he argued that his father granted the pardon out of concern that Hunter would become a target under Donald Trump's incoming administration. He insisted that he and his father had never discussed the possibility of a pardon before it was granted.

"There is no way that you can have those kinds of discussions that would not become public," Hunter he said. He described himself as "the most privileged person there is" after receiving the presidential pardon from his father.

"I was the only one in the world that could have gotten what I got from the only person in the world who could give it, my father," Hunter he said. He stated he understood the criticism of the pardon but asked, "What would you have thought of my dad if he did not do that for me."

"It's something that is easily criticised and for good reason. It's not fair… All I know is that I'm grateful that he did it for me," Hunter he said. The legal issues stemmed from financial and firearm charges involving the American businessman and lobbyist.

Hunter Biden received taxable income in excess of $1,500,000 annually in calendar years 2017 and 2018. He owed in excess of $100,000 in federal income taxes each year for 2017 and 2018 but did not pay the income tax due for either year.

From on or about October 12, 2018 through October 23, 2018, Hunter Biden possessed a firearm despite knowing he was an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance. He noted that his addiction was a way to escape feelings of anxiety and isolation.

Hunter Biden described his addiction at its worst as drinking almost a gallon of vodka a day while smoking crack cocaine almost every 15 minutes. "It was hell on earth. There's nothing glamorous about it," he said.

He rejected the suggestion that he felt untouchable because he was the son of a president, stating, "I wasn't reaching for anything except oblivion." Hunter he stated that drugs and alcohol initially felt like a solution before becoming "the thing that almost killed me."

Hunter Biden acknowledged that his long battle with addiction 'of course' made his father's life and health worse, placing significant stress on former President Joe Biden and the rest of the family. He revealed that Joe Biden's cancer has metastasized into his bones and further.

Hunter Biden described his father's cancer as "very painful" and "very debilitating." "Cancer is really hard. It's really sad to watch," he said.

"My dad is, to this day, the centre of our family. He's the best father, the best husband, the best grandfather," Hunter he said. He stated, "The only thing that I say about my dad, about his health right now, is I wish he would complain more."

Hunter Biden watched the June 2024 presidential debate from his home in California. He stated he was shocked by the June 2024 debate and immediately sensed something was wrong.

Hunter Biden has previously argued that his father's poor debate performance reflected physical exhaustion after extensive travel. He has questioned whether Joe Biden's cancer may already have been affecting his father during the 2024 campaign.

Hunter he said his father remains politically engaged and determined to continue speaking publicly. He stated he has "no interest in elected politics" and dismissed suggestions that he would seek office.

Hunter he stated he wants to devote his time to speaking about addiction and recovery. "I believe that addiction and the hope of recovery are something that connect us all," he said.

Hunter he stated he is most proud of his father's resilience. "He's proven time and time again that when you get knocked down, you can get up. He's the toughest man I know," he said.

The interview addresses the tension between constitutional norms and familial loyalty in the exercise of executive clemency. Hunter Biden's admission that the pardon was detrimental to democratic institutions contrasts with his defense of the act as necessary protection against political prosecution.

The disclosure regarding the metastasis of Joe Biden's cancer provides context for the former president's health during the final months of his term. These details intersect with prior observations about Joe Biden's physical condition during the 2024 election cycle.