Biden Would Not Pardon Hunter, White House Says

President Joe Biden would not pardon his son Hunter, the White House said Thursday.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked at a press briefing whether there is “any possibility that the president would end up pardoning his son?”

“No,” Jean-Pierre quickly responded. She did not expand on her answer.

Hunter Biden has been charged with two counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax and one firearm offense. 

A plea deal for his charges were halted Wednesday. The initial deal allowed the president’s son to plead guilty to two tax misdemeanors and enroll in a diversion program to avoid prosecution for a gun charge. U.S. District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika on Wednesday asked the opposing legal teams to work out a new arrangement amid confusion about the terms of immunity for other potential charges.

Jean-Pierre declined to comment further on Hunter Biden’s case, saying that it’s part of “an independent investigation that is being led by a Trump appointed prosecutor.” She also pointed additional questions to the Department of Justice.

When asked whether Jean-Pierre could “state categorically that the administration has neither sought nor received favorable treatment from the DOJ” for investigations into the president, his administration, his family or former President Donald Trump's, Jean-Pierre said: “Absolutely not.”

“The Department of Justice is independent,” Jean-Pierre continued. “The president respects the rule of law.”

Jean-Pierre previously said Hunter Biden is a private citizen and that it’s a personal matter for him.

“The president, the first lady, they love their son, and they support him as he continues to rebuild his life,” Jean-Pierre said Wednesday.