Whoopi Goldberg has sparked a heated debate after offering a strong defense of President Joe Biden’s controversial decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, amid accusations of nepotism. During a fiery exchange on The View, Goldberg stood by the president’s choice, despite backlash from both political sides, arguing that Hunter’s struggles with addiction warranted a different perspective on the situation.
Biden’s sweeping pardon, which covers any crimes Hunter may have committed between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024, has reignited national discussions about fairness, family loyalty, and political transparency. Critics argue that the pardon is a transparent attempt to shield Hunter from further legal scrutiny, especially in connection with his past business dealings with the Ukrainian energy company Burisma.
Goldberg, however, vehemently defended Biden, pointing to Hunter’s long battle with addiction. “Hunter was addicted to drugs and didn’t know what he was doing,” Goldberg asserted. She contrasted his situation with former President Donald Trump’s legal troubles, claiming that Trump “didn’t have a drug problem” and “knew what he was doing” when facing his own legal challenges.
The discussion quickly turned contentious as co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump White House official, expressed her frustration with Biden’s apparent reversal on the matter. “He said so many times he wasn’t going to pardon him. That, to me, is lying to the public,” Griffin said, accusing Biden of undermining public trust in the political system.
Goldberg responded swiftly, interrupting Griffin to push back on the “lie” accusation. She argued that Biden may have initially resisted a pardon but changed his mind as Hunter’s legal troubles intensified. “I think the more stuff that went down, he said, ‘Why am I busting my behind to stay straight when no one else is?’” Goldberg suggested.
The controversy surrounding Hunter Biden’s pardon stems from a series of legal issues, including a June conviction for falsifying a federal form to purchase a firearm and felony tax evasion charges to which he pleaded guilty in September. Despite these charges, President Biden has continued to argue that his son has been unfairly targeted due to their family connection. “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son—and that is wrong,” Biden said.
While the decision has drawn ire from Republicans, it has also sparked discontent within Biden’s own party. Colorado Governor Jared Polis expressed his understanding of Biden’s natural desire to protect his son but emphasized his disappointment that the president chose family loyalty over national interests. Congressman Greg Stanton of Arizona echoed the sentiment, arguing that Hunter’s conviction was not politically motivated.
Republicans have seized on the issue, with former President Trump accusing Biden of hypocrisy. “Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, highlighting the contrast between Hunter’s pardon and the ongoing detention of those involved in the January 6th Capitol attack.
In response to growing scrutiny, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has reiterated that the president’s decision was made after careful deliberation. “The president always believes in being truthful to the American people,” Jean-Pierre said, addressing concerns over the apparent contradiction between Biden’s past statements and his actions.
Goldberg concluded her defense with a broader reflection on political accountability. “It’s a precedent for all of us to open our eyes,” she said. “We’ve elected somebody who was in a similar situation, who didn’t have a drug problem, who knew what he was doing. So let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture.”