This could turn out to be a massive October surprise. No one saw this coming.
As this Donald Trump pardon news has turned the 2024 election on it’s head.
In a surprising turn of events, former President Donald Trump hinted Thursday that he might consider pardoning Hunter Biden — that is, if President Joe Biden doesn’t do so first.
“I wouldn’t take it off the books,” Trump, 78, told syndicated radio host Hugh Hewitt during a recent interview.
While Trump had previously avoided taking a stance on whether he would grant clemency to the younger Biden, he seemed to leave the door open this time.
Hunter Biden, 54, has faced legal challenges in recent years, and Trump’s remarks suggest a more complex political landscape.
“See, unlike Joe Biden, despite what they’ve done to me, where they’ve gone after me so viciously, despite what — and Hunter’s a bad boy. There’s no question about it. He’s been a bad boy. All you had to do is see the laptop from hell — but I happen to think it’s very bad for our country,” Trump elaborated.
His comments reflect his ongoing grievances with the legal challenges he’s faced, as well as his well-publicized disdain for Hunter’s behavior.
Trump also took the opportunity to reference his restraint during his time in office, particularly in relation to Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent in the 2016 presidential election.
“I could have gone after Hillary. I could have gotten Hillary Clinton very easily,” Trump said, recalling the famous “lock her up” chants that became a rallying cry during his campaign.
“Whenever they said ‘lock her up,’ you know, they’d start, 30,000 people, ‘lock her up, lock her up.’ What did I do? I always say take it easy, just relax. We’re winning. Take it easy.”
Trump explained that while he had the option to pursue criminal charges against Clinton, he chose not to.
“I could have had her put in jail. And I decided I didn’t want to do that. I thought it would look terrible,” he said. “You had the wife of the president of the United States going to jail. I thought it would be very bad if we did that.”
As for Hunter Biden, the legal challenges he faces are serious. In June, he was convicted on three federal charges related to lying about his drug use while purchasing a firearm.
He faces up to 25 years in prison, though experts believe his lack of prior convictions could result in a lighter sentence. Adding to his legal troubles, Hunter also pleaded guilty in September to evading $1.4 million in federal taxes, which could lead to another 17 years behind bars.
President Biden, 81, has repeatedly stated that he would not pardon his son.
However, political insiders speculate that the president might reconsider his position, possibly commuting Hunter’s sentence before leaving office in January 2025.
If that happens, Trump’s statement suggests he’s not ruling out the possibility of intervening himself if given the chance.
With these comments, Trump continues to highlight the tension between the legal and political worlds, while keeping the possibility of a Hunter Biden pardon in the conversation.
Stay tuned to the Conservative Column.
