Hunter Biden spoke about his father’s controversial decision to grant him a presidential pardon, his struggle with addiction, and the serious deterioration of Joe Biden’s health, in an extensive interview with the BBC.

The son of the former U.S. president described himself as “the most privileged person in the world,” while acknowledging that the pardon he received from his father in December 2024 was not a good choice for either the American people or the Constitution, nor for Joe Biden’s.

Despite these admissions, he defended his father’s decision. “What would you think of him if he hadn’t done that for me?” he asked, noting that he understands the reasons why the decision was criticized. “It’s not fair. All I know is that I’m grateful he did it for me,” he added.

Hunter Biden argued that his father was ultimately driven to make the decision because he feared his son would become a target after Donald Trump’s return to the White House. “I was the only person in the world who could receive what I received from the only person in the world who could give it—my father,” he said emphatically.

He insisted, however, that the two of them had never discussed the possibility of a presidential pardon before it was granted, arguing that such a discussion would have been nearly impossible to keep secret.

It should be recalled that Joe Biden had granted his son a full and unconditional pardon in December 2024, despite his repeated public pledges that he would not use his presidential powers to intervene in his son’s legal cases. At the time, he had argued that his son had been subjected to “selective and unfair prosecution.” The pardon covered his conviction for illegal gun possession, the tax case in which he had pleaded guilty, as well as any federal offenses committed between 2014 and 2024.

NEW: Hunter Biden ADMITS to the BBC that his pardon was 'not good' for America or his father's legacy “Was

it good for our Constitution? Was it good for the American people? Was it good for my dad’s legacy? No on all counts. It was not.” “It’s

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something that is easily… pic.twitter.com/YFshYUOAzv

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Joe Biden’s cancer has spread to his bones

Hunter Biden appeared particularly emotional when the conversation turned to his father’s health. As he revealed, Joe Biden’s cancer has metastasized “to his bones and elsewhere,” causing intense pain and significant weakness. “Cancer is really tough,” he said, pausing briefly as he became emotional. “It’s really heartbreaking to see.” “It’s very painful” and “very debilitating,” she added, describing her father’s condition.

Despite his health struggles, as he said, Joe Biden remains the center of the family. “To this day, my father is the center of our family. He is the best father, the best husband, the best grandfather.” According to Hunter Biden, the former president remains politically active and determined to continue his public engagements.

“I wish he would complain more, because it’s not good—the cancer has spread.”

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Hunter Biden discusses his father’s health, former U.S. President Joe Biden. #Newsnight pic.twitter.com/QwNYjfithd

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“I knew something wasn’t right during the debate”

Hunter Biden also referred to the disastrous presidential debate in June 2024 for his father, which “sank” his bid for a second term. As he said, he watched the debate from his home in California and immediately realized that something wasn’t right. “I was shocked. I knew something wasn’t right,” he said.

In the past, Hunter had attributed his father’s poor performance to physical exhaustion from constant travel, while after his cancer diagnosis, he had raised the question of whether the disease might have already been affecting him at that time.

“It was hell on Earth”

Hunter Biden, son of former U.S. President Joe Biden, discusses his struggles with smoking crack cocaine “every 15 minutes or so” before beginning his recovery.#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/5gxYx3c8bB

— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) August 7, 2026

“I was drinking almost four liters of vodka a day”

In the interview, Hunter Biden also spoke openly about one of the darkest periods of his life, describing the extent of his addiction to alcohol and crack. At the worst point of his addiction, he said, he was drinking nearly 4 liters of vodka a day and smoking crack about every 15 minutes. “It was hell. There’s nothing glamorous about that situation,” he said.

He rejected the notion that he turned to drugs because, as the son of such a powerful politician, he felt he could do whatever he wanted without consequences. “I was looking for nothing more than oblivion,”, he said, explaining that drugs were initially a way to escape anxiety and isolation, before they turned into “something that nearly killed me.”

In the same interview, Hunter Biden also put an end to rumors that he is occasionally considering a career in politics or even a future presidential run. As he made clear, he has “no interest in politics” and does not intend to seek public office. Instead, he wants to devote his time to raising awareness about addiction and recovery efforts, believing that this is an issue that can unite people across the deep political divides in the United States.

Source: Protothema.gr