President Biden arranged an airport photo op in a public show of support for his son Hunter on Tuesday afternoon, hours after the 54-year-old’s conviction on three federal gun charges.
The 81-year-old president made a midweek, mid-workday trip to Wilmington, Del., and was greeted by Hunter Biden, his wife Melissa Cohen and their 4-year-old son Beau on the tarmac of the airport of the Delaware Air National Guard.
The president hugged and spoke to Hunter for several minutes in full view of the traveling press pool, including photographers, videographers and reporters for major print, radio and TV outlets.
The made-for-viewing interaction around 4:40 p.m. was followed by a motorcade to the president’s nearby home in Wilmington — as Republicans like House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) urged prosecutors to focus on the president’s role in his son and first brother James Biden’s lucrative foreign dealings.
It is possible for Hunter Biden to go entirely unnoticed traveling to and from the air base — as happened on May 30 ahead of the first son’s trial, when the entire family loaded into the president’s Marine One helicopter and departed from the same airport before members of the press were in place to observe the lift off for Joe Biden’s Rehoboth Beach, Del., vacation home.
The scandal-plagued son was convicted Tuesday morning of illegally buying and possessing a .38 caliber Colt Cobra revolver in 2018.
He faces up to 25 years in prison, but could receive a sentence of probation.
Follow the latest on Hunter Biden’s federal gun trial:
Hunter walked away from a probation-only plea deal last July over demands for even broader immunity for past conduct, including alleged violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which could implicate his father.
Evidence including photos, emails and witness statements indicates that Joe Biden interacted with his family’s associates from two Chinese government-linked business ventures and others from Kazakhstan, Mexico, Russia and Ukraine, including while he was sitting vice president and controlling foreign policy toward those countries.
No sentencing date has been set in Hunter’s gun case, but it’s likely to come in or around September — at roughly the same time he goes on trial for allegedly bilking Uncle Sam of $1.4 million in taxes on foreign income from ventures in which he often involved his dad.
President Biden made no public remarks on his son’s conviction Tuesday, issuing only a written statement that said: “I am the President, but I am also a Dad … I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s regular briefing was abruptly canceled Tuesday afternoon following the guilty verdict.
Biden’s only public event of the day was an awkwardly timed pro-gun control speech near the White House, where he called for tougher penalties for infractions, including for families who leave guns unlocked.
