Hunter Biden trial: President changes his schedule to be with his son after guilty verdict

Hunter Biden departed from the J Caleb Boggs Federal Building in Wilmington, Delaware holding the hands of his mother, First Lady Jill Biden, and his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden.

“As I said last week, I am the President, but I am also a Dad. Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today. So many families who have had loved ones battle addiction understand the feeling of pride seeing someone you love come out the other side and be so strong and resilient in recovery. As I also said last week, I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal. Jill and I will always be there for Hunter and the rest of our family with our love and support. Nothing will ever change that.”

Several far-right figures on social media complained about the guilty verdict in Hunter Biden’s federal gun charges trial – believing it to be a boring lesser charge.

“The Hunter Biden gun conviction is kinda dumb tbh,” Florida representative Matt Gaetz wrote on Tuesday.

“Hunter Biden guilty. Yawn. The true crimes of the Biden Crime Family remain untouched. This is a fake trial trying to make the Justice system appear “balanced.” Don’t fall for it,” Charlie Kirk wrote.

Biden was charged with the gun-related counts last year after a plea deal with prosecutors fell through at the last minute. The Justice Department had been investigating Biden for years probing his financial and business dealings.

He is also charged with nine federal tax-related charges in California. That trial is expected to happen in September

Hunter Biden says he is more “grateful” for his family and friend’s support over the last week than he is “dissappointed” by the outcome of his federal gun charges trial.

“I am more grateful today for the love and support I experienced this last week from Melissa, my family, my friends, and my community than I am disappointed by the outcome. Recovery is possible by the grace of God, and I am blessed to experience that gift one day at a time,” Biden said.

After approximately three hours of deliberations, 12 jurors unanimously convicted Biden on all three felony gun charges, a historic decision that marks the first time a sitting president’s child has been found guilty of a crime.

Gustaf Kilander reports from Wilmington, Delaware:

A spokesperson for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign released a statement on Hunter Biden’s verdict, calling the entire trial a “distraction” from other alleged crimes the Biden family has committed.

“This trial has been nothing more than a distraction from the real crimes of the Biden Crime Family, which has raked in tens of millions of dollars from China, Russia and Ukraine. Crooked Joe Biden’s reign over the Biden Family Criminal Empire is all coming to an end on November 5th, and never again will a Biden sell government access for personal profit,” Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign National Press Secretary said in a statement.

Read the verdict form, the 12-panel jury submitted to convict Hunter Biden on three gun-related charges here.

Abbe Lowell, Hunter Biden’s defense attorney, said in a statement that he plans to “vigorously pursue all the legal challenges available to Hunter” after a jury convicted him on three federal gun charges.

“We are naturally disappointed by today’s verdict. We respect the jury process, and as we have done throughout this case, we will continue to vigorously pursue all the legal challenges available to Hunter. Through all he has been through in his recovery, including this trial, Hunter has felt grateful for and blessed by the love and support of his family,” Lowell said in the statement.

President Joe Biden will go to Wilmington, Delaware later this afternoon, presumably to be with his son, Hunter Biden, after a jury convicted him on three federal gun charges.

Hours after the ruling, the president changed his schedule so he visit Delaware to be with his family. First Lady Jill Biden is already in Wilmington as she attended Hunter’s trial.

Special Counsel David Weiss thanked the jury who sat in and ultimately convicted Hunter Biden on three federal gun-related charges, during a press conference on Tuesday.

“I want to thank the jury for their service. There are few civic responsibilities more important than jury service,” he said.