Hunter Biden has told the BBC that his father’s presidential pardon was “not good” for the United States, the Constitution and the legacy of Joe Biden, while defending the decision as something he said his father felt he had to do. In a wide-ranging interview with the BBC’s Newsnight, the son of the former US president said he understood the criticism of the 2024 pardon, but argued that it was still the right act from his father’s perspective. “What would you have thought of my dad if he did not do that for me,” Hunter Biden said, adding: “It’s something that is easily criticised and for good reason.” He acknowledged that the move would draw scrutiny and said: “All I know is that I’m grateful that he did it for me.” The interview came as Hunter Biden also discussed his father’s worsening health after a cancer diagnosis and said he has no interest in seeking elected office. He also spoke about his own addiction and recovery. Pardon defended amid criticismHunter Biden said his father granted the pardon because he feared that his son could become a target under Donald Trump’s incoming administration. He said he was “the only one in the world that could have gotten what I got from the only person in the world who could give it”, arguing the decision reflected concern about what might follow after the election. Hunter Biden rejected the idea that he and his father had discussed the pardon in advance. He said there was “no way” such discussions could have taken place without becoming public. He said the pardon was granted in December 2024, and it covered his federal gun conviction, a tax case in which he had pleaded guilty, and any federal offences committed between 2014 and 2024. Joe Biden, who announced the pardon, repeatedly said before the decision that he would not use presidential powers to intervene in his son’s legal matters. When he granted the pardon, he said Hunter Biden had been “selectively and unfairly prosecuted”. Addiction described as “hell on earth”Hunter Biden also gave an account of the depths of his addiction. He said at its worst he drank almost a gallon of vodka a day while smoking crack cocaine almost every 15 minutes. “It was hell on earth,” he said. “There’s nothing glamorous about it.” He said drugs and alcohol initially felt like a solution but later became “the thing that almost killed me”. He denied that his position as the president’s son made him feel “untouchable”, saying instead that he was “reaching for anything except oblivion”. He described addiction as a way to escape anxiety and isolation. Cancer and political focusHunter Biden said his father’s cancer has spread, and he described it as having metastasised into his bones. He said it is “very painful” and “very debilitating”, and he spoke emotionally about watching his father’s condition worsen. “Cancer is really hard,” he said, pausing to clear his throat. “It’s really sad to watch.” He said Joe Biden remains the centre of the family and spoke of his father’s resilience, adding: “The only thing that I say about my dad, about his health right now, is I wish he would complain more.” Hunter Biden also reflected on the presidential debate in June 2024 that ended the former president’s re-election campaign. He said he watched it from his home in California and immediately sensed something was wrong, adding: “I was shocked. I knew something was wrong.” He has previously argued that Joe Biden’s debate performance may have reflected exhaustion after travel, and he questioned whether the illness may have already been affecting his father. In the BBC interview, he said his father remains politically engaged and determined to continue speaking publicly. When asked about whether he might enter politics, Hunter Biden said he had “no interest in elected politics” and dismissed suggestions that he would seek office. Instead, he said he wanted to devote his time to discussing addiction and recovery, describing that work as something that could bridge political divisions. Join the discussion? 8 August 2026
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