President Biden was “familiar” with what his son Hunter Biden planned to say during defiant remarks outside the Capitol on Wednesday in which the younger Biden blasted the investigation from House Republicans into his business dealings.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeatedly dodged questions about whether Hunter Biden should comply with a congressional subpoena for testimony, but she confirmed to reporters the president had some insight ahead of his son’s comments.
“Hunter Biden is a private citizen, so I certainly would refer you to his representatives,” Jean-Pierre said. “The president was certainly familiar with what his son was going to say, and I think what you saw was from the heart from his son.
“And you’ve heard me say this, you’ve heard the president say this, when it comes to the president and the first lady, they are proud of him continuing to rebuild his life. They are proud of their son,” Jean-Pierre added.
Hunter Biden spoke outside the Capitol complex on Wednesday morning, making a public statement instead of appearing for his scheduled deposition following a subpoena from House Republicans.
“For six years, I’ve been the target of the unrelenting Trump attack machine shouting. ‘Where’s Hunter?’” Hunter Biden said in a statement to reporters. “Well, here’s my answer. I am here.”
“Let me state as clearly as I can: My father was not financially involved in my business — not as a practicing lawyer. Not as a board member of Burisma, not in my partnership with a Chinese private businessman, not my investment at all nor abroad, and certainly not as an artist,” he said, running through some key aspects of the GOP probes.
“There’s no evidence to support the allegations that my father was financially involved in my business, because it did not happen,” Biden added.
Republicans have signaled they will move to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress because of his refusal to testify in a closed-door deposition.
Reporters at the White House peppered Jean-Pierre with questions about whether the president believed his son should comply with the subpoena, including one who cited the president’s 2021 comments that those who ignore congressional subpoenas should be prosecuted. Biden later walked those comments back.
Jean-Pierre also would not confirm when the president last spoke to Hunter Biden.
“The president is also focused on the important work of the American people,” Jean-Pierre said, pointing to talks over border policy and Biden’s meeting on Tuesday with the president of Ukraine.