Overview

• President Joe Biden issued a pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, covering federal tax and gun charges as well as potential offenses spanning a decade.
• The move has drawn mixed reactions, with critics questioning its ethical implications and supporters citing politically motivated prosecutions as justification.
• Legal experts remain divided on whether a U.S. president can pardon themselves, a question that has never been tested in court but could arise if Biden seeks to shield himself from future prosecutions.
• The pardon for Hunter Biden follows Biden's earlier promises not to pardon his son, prompting bipartisan criticism and speculation about further clemency actions to offset the controversy.
• Biden has now pardoned 26 individuals during his presidency, including those convicted of nonviolent drug offenses and participants in international prisoner swaps.