First Lady Jill Biden recently backed her son Hunter Biden against the backlash from Republicans in an interview that aired Thursday, saying the barrage of allegations against him has been “cruel.”
“I think what they are doing to Hunter is cruel,” the first lady said in an interview with MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski. “And I’m really proud of how Hunter has rebuilt his life after addiction. You know, I love my son and it’s had — it’s hurt my grandchildren. And that’s what I’m so concerned about, that it’s affecting their lives as well.”
The first lady bemoaned the change in rhetoric in the country when asked about the constant attacks from Republicans against the Biden family, including from former President Trump, who frequently calls President Biden “incompetent.”
“I mean, to look at it, what we used to have, and what the other side, the extremists have turned this country into. I mean, we would never see things like that, say 10 years ago,” Jill Biden said.
It has been noted that her interview aired a day after House Republicans voted to advance a contempt of Congress resolution against Hunter Biden, teeing up a full House vote and the potential for criminal charges for the president’s son.
Hunter Biden ignored the summons to appear for a closed-door deposition with House committees last month as part of the House GOP’s impeachment inquiry into his father, President Biden. The president was not involved in his son’s business transactions, according to the White House’s repeated denials.
As part of the investigation of the president, House Republicans have frequently drawn attention to Hunter Biden’s business dealings. When the Trump campaign focused on the contents of an outdated laptop that had explicit photos of the president’s son, Hunter Biden played a pivotal role in the GOP’s assaults during the 2020 race.
Along with federal tax charges, Hunter Biden is now being prosecuted for making a false statement about his drug use in October 2018 on a federal form intended for gun buyers.
