Hunter Biden made another surprise visit to the White House on Tuesday, just days after he defied a congressional subpoena in the House’s impeachment inquiry into his father. Reporters caught sight of the president’s son exiting Marine One at the White House, accompanied by one of his young children, Beau Jr.
His presence on the presidential helicopter was not disclosed to the press prior to President Joe Biden’s return to Washington, leading to questions for White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre during a briefing soon after.
Amidst the confusion, Jean-Pierre said she had to “double check” why the Biden family members were not included on the list of people traveling with the president, but noted that they had gathered in Delaware over the weekend to mark the 51-year anniversary of a tragic car accident that took the lives of President Biden’s first wife, Neilia, and baby daughter, Naomi.
When asked about the appropriateness of Hunter Biden using taxpayer dollars to fly with the president, given his legal troubles, Jean-Pierre emphasized that President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden “love their son.” She also stated that the White House will not announce Hunter Biden’s presence on Marine One moving forward.
Hunter Biden’s visit to the White House comes on the heels of his scheduled deposition in the House’s impeachment inquiry, during which he publicly demanded a public hearing instead of a closed-door interview.
Despite his father’s knowledge of what he would say at the press event, Jean-Pierre declined to provide any further details when pressed on whether the president had attempted to dissuade his son from defying the congressional subpoena.
House Republicans, who are leading the impeachment inquiry, have stated that they are willing to have Hunter Biden testify in a public hearing, but only after he completes his deposition. They also warned that the first son would face contempt of Congress proceedings for his refusal to comply with the subpoena. In response, the House voted along party lines to formally authorize the impeachment inquiry, giving legal weight to the subpoenas issued by Republicans.
Hunter Biden’s surprise trip to the White House raises more questions about the Biden family’s business dealings and the ongoing criminal investigation into Hunter Biden’s potential involvement in corruption.
With his actions drawing scrutiny and criticism from both sides of the aisle, it remains to be seen how his defiance of the congressional subpoena and his repeated visits to the White House will impact both the impeachment inquiry and the ongoing legal case against him.