The legal troubles faced by Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, have created a significant headache for the latter and put his campaign to the test, especially as the trial ongoing this week in Delaware revealed embarrassing details about the President's family. The ongoing gun case in a Delaware courtroom, which included painful video testimonies, uncovered a dark period of betrayal and drug use within the Biden family, amidst the presence of several family members in the courtroom and on the witness stand.
Hunter Biden's ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle, and Hallie Biden, the widow of the President’s eldest son, Beau Biden, who had a romantic relationship with Hunter after her husband's death, both attended the trial. They recounted horrific details about Hunter's drug addiction and mental struggles following his brother's death, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Hallie recounted removing drug paraphernalia from Hunter's truck, stating that he introduced her to drugs during painful moments, describing her experiences with Hunter as horrific. She added that she feels "embarrassed, ashamed, and regrets that time in her life." In a significant part of her testimony, Hallie shared a story about finding Hunter's gun in the open console of his truck, which she placed in a leather bag before discarding it in a grocery store trash bin. She testified: "I felt panic," expressing fears that he might kill himself or that her children might find the weapon and be harmed. She also revealed that she was "somewhat afraid to touch it," referring to the gun, and said, "I didn't know if it was loaded."
Meanwhile, Naomi Biden, Hunter’s eldest daughter, testified yesterday on behalf of her father, recalling a visit to her father in 2018 when he was in rehabilitation. Hunter is also expected to face another trial in Los Angeles regarding tax charges, which may include strange tales about his spending and lifestyle.
Furthermore, his broader legal issues have given Republicans the opportunity to portray the Biden family as corrupt, despite their failure to connect the President to any wrongdoing. The ongoing trial concerning gun possession, set to continue on Monday, threatens to shift focus away from Biden's trip to France, where he commemorated D-Day, to speeches about democracy.
Hunter's legal troubles have raised concerns among some close to the President. White House aides and allies have sometimes been uncomfortable with Hunter's approach to addressing his legal issues and have hoped he would remain out of the spotlight. They clarified that the President is devoted to his son and seeks to affirm this publicly, as Hunter Biden frequently visits the White House and attends prominent events.
Meanwhile, the Trump campaign indicated it would focus on other controversies linked to Hunter Biden aside from the gun case, with spokesperson Caroline Levitt describing the President as the head of a "criminal Biden family" and questioning his foreign business dealings.
