Joe Biden has indicated he will not pardon his son Hunter if he is convicted at his federal gun trial, where the prosecutor argued his case in Delaware on Friday and Naomi Biden took the stand in her father’s defense.
When the American president was asked in an interview with ABC News on Thursday whether he is willing to accept the resulting outcome Hunter Bidenduring the trial he replied, “Yes.”
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The president is still in France on Friday to deliver a speech on democracy in Normandy, as part of events marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the Allies’ turning point in the 1944 war against Nazi Germany .
The first lady, Jill Biden, returned to the US on Thursday after joining her husband in France and appearing in court to support her stepson as federal prosecutors began wrapping up their gun case against him.
Two more witnesses testified Friday as prosecutors continued their efforts to prove to jurors that Hunter Biden lied on a mandatory gun purchase form when he said he was not an “unlawful user of or addicted to” drugs.
Prosecutors called an FBI forensic chemist, Jason Brewer, who tested a residue found on the leather pouch that contained Hunter Biden’s gun. The result came back positive for cocaine, although the amount was minimal, he told jurors.
A Drug Enforcement Administration agent testified about text messages Hunter Biden sent to alleged dealers.
It came near the end of a week largely devoted to highlighting the severity of his drug problem, which spiraled out of control after his older brother, Beau Biden, died of brain cancer in 2015 at age 46.
But on Friday afternoon, Hunter Biden’s daughter Naomi testified in her father’s defense that he seemed to be responding well to drug treatment in the weeks before he bought a gun. Prosecutors say he obtained it illegally by failing to disclose his addiction on forms applying for a Colt Cobra revolver in 2018 and illegally possessing the gun for 11 days.
Naomi Biden, 30, told the jury she saw her father in California around that time and “he seemed really great.”
Under cross-examination, she was shown that she had called and called Hunter Biden but was unable to reach him.
“I can’t handle this,” she texted her father a few days after he bought the gun. “I miss you so much and I just want to hang out.”
Hunter Biden has been charged with three crimes: lying to a federally licensed gun dealer, making a false claim on the application by saying he was not a drug user and illegally possessing the gun for 11 days. It would be more common for such a violation to be resolved with a settlement if the defendant admits it occurred, but a previous deal for Hunter was unexpectedly rejected last summer.
He was subsequently charged with three weapons offences, which he denies. He also faces a trial scheduled for September on misdemeanor charges alleging he failed to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes over four years.
The court wrapped up its work Friday afternoon and will resume Monday when the defense will announce whether 54-year-old Hunter Biden will testify.
The Associated Press contributed to the reporting
