Hunter Biden is juggling two separate trials related to firearm possession and tax evasion, while also helping his father, President Joe Biden, during a tumultuous time for his reelection campaign and presidency.
Members of the Democratic Party have voiced concerns over President Biden’s ability to run for a second term following his poor performance at the presidential debate on June 27.
His son, Hunter Biden, has been reportedly seen more frequently visiting the White House following the debate. But what’s more unusual is Hunter Biden joined the president in meetings with his advisers, according to NBC News.
Upon seeing these “disturbing” reports of Hunter Biden’s increased participation in the president’s official duties, House Intelligence Committee chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, wrote a letter to White House chief of staff Jeff Zients.
“It is unclear what official meetings and phone calls Hunter Biden is participating in and in what capacity and whether these discussions include classified information,” he wrote, requesting more details.
Is Hunter Biden a ‘gatekeeper’ to President Biden?
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, during a press briefing on July 9, said Hunter Biden did not receive any classified information.
She confirmed the younger Biden was in the room while the president prepared his remarks for the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity.
Last week, she defended Hunter Biden’s presence at the White House recently, saying that President Biden is close to his family and spent the holiday week of the Fourth of July with them at Camp David.
“Hunter came back with the president from their family weekend at Camp David and went with the president straight into speech prep,” Jean-Pierre said. The president’s son was seen watching the fireworks on the Fourth of July with his father from a White House balcony.
In a television interview on Friday, President Joe Biden insisted that only “the Lord Almighty” could convince him to drop out of the 2024 presidential race.
Several reports suggest Hunter Biden and first lady Jill Biden are the president’s most vocal supporters. Axios described Hunter Biden as “the de facto gatekeeper” to President Biden.
Hunter Biden juggles legal troubles
Last week, Hunter Biden aimed at Fox News for including explicit images of him in a show streamed online. The lawsuit, filed last week, claims the images violate New York’s consent law, as The Associated Press reported.
Meanwhile, Justice Department special counsel David Weiss is continuing his investigation into the younger Biden.
Last month in Delaware, Hunter Biden was convicted on three counts related to illegally owning a gun after an emotional trial. A trial in California related to tax charges will begin in September.
Biden’s legal team filed a motion for a new trial based on a legal technicality, but they ended up withdrawing the motion, as CNN reported.
Weiss, in a Monday court filing, said Hunter Biden’s motion was “meritless and is based on his apparent misunderstanding of appellate practice and his failure to read the Third Circuit’s Orders.”
Hunter Biden continues to deny wrongdoing and plans to challenge the verdict, for which he faces up to 25 years in prison.
The president pledged he will not pardon his son should he face time in prison.
President Biden delivered remarks on NATO’s 75th anniversary Tuesday, kicking off a three-day summit. The first lady was expected to be in attendance.