Joe Biden has issued a "full and unconditional pardon" to his son Hunter in criminal cases that could spare him a potential stint in jail.
In one of his last acts in office Biden issued the official pardon for Hunter Biden, who was set to face sentencing this month on federal felony gun and tax convictions in California and Delaware.
Despite repeatedly denying he would pardon his son, president Biden declared on Sunday night that Hunter has been unfairly targeted by the president’s own political enemies in an attempt to politically damage him.
In a lengthy statement the president said that he had refrained from intervening while his son was “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted."
But he added that he was forced to step in and spare Hunter because “raw politics” had “infected this process” and “led to a miscarriage of justice”.
Donald Trump has criticised the decision this morning claiming the act is "an abuse and miscarriage of justice."
The president-elect took the opportunity to raise the case of the rioters jailed for their attack on the US capitol in 2021 following his departure from the White House.
Sharing his response on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "Does the pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?"