President Biden said Thursday he would not commute the sentence of his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted this week of three federal felony counts of lying on federal paperwork about a drug addiction when purchasing a handgun in 2018.
Responding to a question at the Group of Seven summit in Italy, Biden reiterated his previous position that he would not pardon his son.
“I'm incredibly proud of my son, Hunter,” Biden said. “He's overcome his addiction. He's one of the greatest, most decent men I've ever known. I'm comfortable that I'm not going to do anything. I said I'd abide by the jury's decision, and I intend to do that.”
As Biden left the stage, he was asked if he would use his power to order a commutation, which would leave the conviction in place but void some or all of the sentence. “No,” he said.
Hunter Biden, whose sentencing date has not yet been set, faces up to 25 years in prison on the firearms charges, though sentencing guidelines set out a small fraction of that penalty.
Legal experts say the president's son could face up to a year in prison or even probation – first-time offenders who don't use a weapon in a violent crime typically receive much lighter sentences.
A White House spokesman on Wednesday did not rule out the possibility that Biden might commute his son's sentence, saying he had not yet discussed the matter with the president.
Hunter Biden is scheduled to go on trial in Los Angeles in September on charges of tax evasion, failure to report and pay taxes and filing false or fraudulent tax returns, in what are seen as the most serious charges against him.