KJP Refuses To Say Whether Or Not Biden Will Commute Hunter’s Sentence

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to answer a question about whether President Joe Biden would commute the sentence of his son Hunter Biden, who was convicted on three felony gun charges in Delaware this week.

During a moment with the press aboard Air Force One on Wednesday, Jean-Pierre was asked by a reporter whether a commutation was “on the table.”

However, instead of a direct response, she said, “So, look, as I stated at the top, I don’t have anything to say beyond to your first question, beyond what the president’s statement was yesterday. He’s been very clear. We’ve been very clear, you know, he loves his son. And he and the first lady love their son and they support their son. I just don’t have anything, certainly anything beyond that.”

“What I will say is look, I haven’t spoken to the president about this since the verdict came out and as we all know the sentencing hasn’t even been scheduled yet,” she continued.

“But you saw the president do an interview just last week when he was in Normandy and he was asked a question, several questions, a couple questions about this and he very clear, very up front, obviously very definitive and I just don’t have anything he, you have his own words. I just don’t have anything beyond that,” the White House official added.

When another reporter pressed her on whether she was not ruling out a commutation, Jean-Pierre stated, “What I’m saying is that the president, I have not spoken to the president about this and what I’m saying is he was asked about a pardon, he was asked about, he was asked about the trial specifically and he answered it very clearly, very forthright. As we know the sentencing hasn’t even been scheduled yet, I don’t have anything beyond what the president said. He’s been very clear about this.”

The reporters’ questions came at the back of speculation by CNN that a commutation could be possible. However, Biden himself has said that he would not pardon his son ahead of his conviction.

During an interview with ABC News last Thursday, the president said that he would accept the result of Hunter’s trial and ruled out a pardon for him in the event of a conviction.

Jean-Pierre’s response on Wednesday which left the door open for a commutation by Biden, takes a different stance from a press briefing last year when she said clearly that Biden would not issue a pardon or commutation for Hunter should he get convicted.

REPORTER in SEPTEMBER 2023: "Would the president pardon or commute [the sentence of] his son if he's convicted?"

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: No

TODAY: The White House "isn't ruling out a potential commutation for Hunter Biden after his conviction"

KJP lied…pic.twitter.com/vbiVvBc8f4

— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) June 13, 2024