Hunter Biden gives exclusive interview on father's health, pardon, and 2024 election

Hunter Biden, son of former US President Joe Biden, has given an exclusive interview to the BBC's Newsnight programme, discussing his father's health, the presidential pardon, and the 2024 election. The interview, conducted by Paddy O'Connell, covered Hunter Biden's past struggles with addiction, his relationship with his father, and his views on the political events that have shaped his family's public life.

In the interview, Hunter Biden spoke candidly about his years of addiction, revealing that at one point he was using crack cocaine every 15 minutes and drinking nearly a gallon of vodka a day. He described it as "hell on earth" and acknowledged the deep trauma his behaviour caused to his family, particularly his three older daughters. He said: "I did probably the worst thing that I could do to them, which was not be present." He also admitted that his addiction had a negative impact on his father's health, saying: "Of course I did. That's what addiction does." But he stressed that his father never gave up on him, saying: "He never, ever, ever let me go."

On the subject of the presidential pardon, Hunter Biden defended his father's decision, which covered his federal gun conviction, a tax case, and any federal offences between 2014 and 2024. He said he was "the most privileged person" to receive it, but also acknowledged the criticism, admitting: "Was it good for our Constitution? Was it good for the American people? Was it good for my dad's legacy? No, on all counts." He explained that the pardon was necessary to protect him from what he called the "revenge and retribution" of Donald Trump, who he said had mentioned or criticised his father or him six times a day in his first 100 days in office. He also revealed that he and his father had not discussed the pardon before it was granted, saying: "We did not have that discussion until he granted me the pardon."

Hunter Biden also spoke about the 2024 presidential debate, where his father's performance was widely seen as disastrous. He said he was watching alone at his home in California and was "shocked" by what he saw. He described his father's "100 yard stare" and said: "I could tell as soon as my father came out that something was wrong." He rejected the suggestion that he had any influence over his father's decision to run for re-election, saying: "The idea that I allow or disallow my father to do anything to this very day is laughable to me." He insisted that his father made all his own decisions, and praised his record, saying he had done more for the American people than any president since Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The interview also touched on Hunter Biden's recent activities, including his work as an artist and his meetings with political figures such as Gavin Newsom and Candace Owens. He said his income from painting had dropped off and he hoped to earn money through speaking engagements. The interview was part of a broader Newsnight special on American politics, with a panel discussing the implications of the interview and the state of US democracy.