Democrat President Joe Biden has said he’s “proud” of his son Hunter as potential criminal charges are looming against him.
During a new interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Biden argues that his son is “on the straight and narrow,” despite recent criminal allegations against Hunter, including tax fraud and gun crimes.
The president defended his son as the 52-year-old potentially faces tax and false statements charges from the U.S. Attorney for Delaware, David Weiss.
“I’m proud of my son,” Biden told Tapper.
“This is a kid who got – not a kid, he’s a grown man – he got hooked on – like many families have had happen – hooked on drugs.
“He’s overcome that,” he claimed.
“He’s established a new life.”
Tapper specifically asked Biden to respond to a recent report that claims the FBI believes there is enough evidence to charge Hunter with tax fraud as well as denying his drug use on a gun-purchase form.
“Personally and politically, how do you react to that?” Tapper asked.
President Biden answered: “He is — I’m confident that he is — what he says and does are consistent with what happens.
“And, for example, he wrote a book about his problems and was straightforward about it.
“I’m proud of him,” he added.
“He came along and said, by the way, this thing about a gun — I didn’t know anything about it,” the president claimed.
“But turns out that when he made [an] application to purchase a gun, what happened was he say – I guess you get asked, I don’t guess, you get asked a question, are you on drugs or do you use drugs?
“He said no. And he wrote about saying no in his book.”
Biden said he has great confidence in his son because he claims Hunter has been “on the straight and narrow” for several years.
WATCH:
TAPPER: "Prosecutors think they could…charge your son Hunter."
BIDEN: "I'm proud of my son…I'm just so proud of him." pic.twitter.com/IyO212Kiv5
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 12, 2022
The potential false statement charge stems from a 2018 gun purchase and whether he lied during the process about his use of drugs.
A firearm transaction report indicates that Hunter Biden purchased a gun in October 2018.
On the firearm transaction report, Biden was asked if he was “an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?”
He said no.
Hunter Biden was discharged from the Navy in 2014 after testing positive for cocaine.
The Hunter Biden-owned firearm was a part of an investigation in Delaware after authorities found it in a trash can outside a market near a school.
The police report indicated Hallie Biden, the widow of President Biden’s deceased son Beau, threw the firearm in the trash.
Hallie Biden was in a relationship with Hunter at the time.
Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki downplayed the potential charges during an appearance on “Meet the Press” Sunday.
She suggested voters are not interested in whether the president’s son committed crimes.
“The truth is, as much as there was so much news happening in Washington this week, it doesn’t always translate and often doesn’t translate to what voters are talking about in states, and I think that’s what we’re seeing currently,” Psaki said.
Should they retake the majority in the November midterm elections, House Republicans have promised to investigate Hunter Biden and any potential conflict of interest President Biden may have had in his son’s business dealings.
Hunter Biden has remained under federal investigation since 2018.
