CNN
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President Joe Biden on Thursday provided his first public remarks about his son Hunter’s conviction on federal gun costs earlier this week, telling reporters in Italy he’s “proud” of him and accepts the jury’s verdict.
“I’m extraordinarily happy with my son Hunter. He has overcome an dependancy, he’s one of many brightest, most first rate males I do know,” Biden mentioned throughout a information convention on the margins of the G7 summit.
“I’m happy that I’m not going to do something — I mentioned I’d abide by the jury determination. I’ll try this. And I can’t pardon him,” he added.
Hunter Biden was found guilty on three federal charges this week, punctuating an emotionally tumultuous trial that unearthed many darkish and personal moments for the Biden household.
Biden reaffirmed that he wouldn’t pardon his son, echoing a dedication he made final week, earlier than he was convicted in his gun case.
The president additionally went a step additional Thursday, saying he wouldn’t contemplate commuting his son’s sentence. Presidents have the facility each pardon and commute, or scale back, sentences in federal instances.
Hunter Biden has not but been sentenced in his gun case, and it seemingly is not going to occur for an additional couple of months.
White Home officers suspected the president might face questions from reporters at Thursday’s press convention concerning his son’s conviction, together with whether or not the president would commute the sentence, a senior White Home official advised CNN.
Biden aides suspected there was a great probability the president can be requested to touch upon the decision, the official mentioned, and so they had been delicate to the truth that White Home press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s response to a query the day earlier than had inadvertently created contemporary headlines that the White Home wouldn’t rule out the potential for a commutation.
However the official advised CNN that Jean-Pierre’s response had merely been a mirrored image of the truth that some aides had not mentioned that matter with the president.
The president has sought to attract a distinction between his personal acceptance of the jury’s verdict and rival Donald Trump’s declare that his personal authorized points quantity to a “rigged” justice system. To that finish, he has largely chosen to remain quiet about his son’s legal trial.
Final week, the president in an announcement famous that whereas he’s the commander-in-chief, he’s additionally a father. He repeated these sentiments in an announcement after his son’s conviction on Tuesday.
Whereas Biden has largely shied away from speaking about his son’s legal case in an effort to keep away from trying like he’s placing his thumb on the dimensions, different relations had proven as much as assist Hunter Biden in court docket. First girl Dr. Jill Biden was within the courtroom for many of the trial, making a number of transatlantic flights to be by Hunter Biden’s aspect whereas the primary household was in France to commemorate the eightieth anniversary of D-Day.
The president’s siblings, Valerie and James, additionally appeared in court docket to assist Hunter Biden.
This story has been up to date with extra reporting.
CNN’s MJ Lee contributed to this report.