There’s a convicted felon in White House meetings these days, and no one is quite sure what to make of it, according to a new report.
Hunter Biden, who was convicted last month of three felonies for lying about his drug abuse when he bought a gun, has been participating in White House meetings, NBC News reported Tuesday, citing sources it did not name.
His role began Monday when he joined his father, President Joe Biden, at the White House after a weekend stay at Camp David in Maryland.
The extent to which Hunter Biden is involved in policy or politics is uncertain, with NBC News citing sources saying he was seen “talking to senior White House staff members.”
Hunter Biden has joined meetings with President Joe Biden and his top aides since his father returned to the White House from Camp David on Monday evening, according to four people familiar with the matter. https://t.co/8lz0ENhkVq
— NBC News (@NBCNews) July 2, 2024
One source said he “popped into” some meetings and listened in on some phone calls between the president and his advisers.
That source said Hunter Biden emerged as a close adviser during the Biden family retreat at Camp David to plot strategy after the president’s disastrous debate performance on Thursday.
Does Hunter Biden’s White House involvement concern you?
Another source told NBC News that some senior White House staff members have reacted to Hunter Biden’s presence by saying, “What the h*** is happening?”
The report said Hunter Biden is a strong voice for Joe Biden staying in the race as other Democrats say he should end his bid for a second term.
Hunter Biden spent his whole life getting rich off his dad’s influence. From China to Ukraine, Hunter traded on his access to Joe and the levers of power in Washington.
Now, Hunter has free rein over White House staff and policy.
Do you trust him not to abuse this for profit? pic.twitter.com/08NUzk0DUP
— Rep. Brian Mast (@RepBrianMast) July 3, 2024
Asked for a comment, White House spokesman Andrew Bates told NBC News that “Hunter came back with the President from their family weekend at Camp David and went with the President straight into speech prep” for Biden’s response to the Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity.
“Hunter doesn’t trust” his father’s aides, the New York Post reported Tuesday, citing a source it did not name.
“I think Hunter wants to be there, and POTUS isn’t going to say no,” the source said.
The Post said Hunter Biden was not only at the White House on Monday evening but Tuesday morning as well.
Oh great, Hunter is running the country. This should be good
— Kubas (@AlienTraining) July 2, 2024
Mike Howell, the executive director of the Oversight Project at the Heritage Foundation, said the president’s son is there out of self-interest.
“It’s just a pure and simple massive interest in his dad staying president so he can pardon not only Hunter, but Joe and the rest of the family for the crimes they committed, and probably Merrick Garland, too, for his role in the cover-up,” Howell told Fox News.
Hunter Biden faces a September trial on federal tax charges.
