Biden defends son Hunter as Justice Department weighs seeking charges: ‘My son has done nothing wrong’

The president said he trusts and has faith in his son

(AP)

President Joe Biden on Friday defended his son Hunter Biden and said he had “done nothing wrong” even as federal prosecutors are considering seeking an indictment for allegedly making a false statement on a firearm background check form.

Speaking during an interview with NBC News, Mr Biden said the impact of the controversies surrounding his youngest and only surviving son on his presidency is to make him “feel proud” of him and said he trusts and has faith in him.

“My son has done nothing wrong,” he said.

Since 2018, prosecutors have been looking into whether Hunter Biden violated US tax laws or made a false statement in a form he had to sign to purchase a firearm. In his memoir, Beautiful Things, the younger Mr Biden described his long battle with addiction and said he was smoking crack cocaine frequently at the same time he attested to not being a user of illicit drugs in order to purchase a pistol.

Hunter Biden has long been a subject of attacks from Republicans, particularly former president Donald Trump and his allies, many of whom have alleged that he is somehow involved in international influence peddling schemes to benefit his father.

No evidence has emerged to support these claims, which played a role in the events which led to the first of Mr Trump’s two impeachment trials.