President Joe Bidenpardoned his son Hunter on Sunday after repeatedly saying he would not, drawing outrage from Republicans who are eagerly preparing for former President Donald Trump to take office again.
Trump, who defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election last month, criticized Biden’s pardon as “an abuse and miscarriage of Justice” while hinting again that he is considering pardons for those who have been charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
Trump continues to make news ahead of taking office in January, with ongoing announcements of controversial Cabinet picks and White House appointments.
Read the latest updates below:
Senate ‘DOGE Caucus’ To Meet For The First Time This Week: Report
Punchbowl News reports the new “Senate DOGE Caucus” will meet for the first time on Thursday, with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy in attendance. DOGE stands for “Department Of Government Efficiency.”
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) will chair the caucus. She pledged last week to “make ‘em squeal” in Washington by cutting “billion-dollar boondoggles,” along with “welfare for politicians and trillion-dollar slush funds.”
Trump’s Pick To Lead Pentagon Has History Of Alarming Behavior: Report
The New Yorker published a story Sunday based largely on a whistleblower report that outlines alarming behavior by Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense.
Read more at The New Yorker.
Democrat Governor Rebukes Biden Over Pardon
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has criticized Biden for putting “his family ahead of the country” by pardoning his son.
The Democrat said that the move was “a bad precedent” and would “tarnish his reputation.”
“Hunter brought the legal trouble he faced on himself, and one can sympathize with his struggles while also acknowledging that no one is above the law, not a president and not a president’s son,” Polis wrote on X.
Rep. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.) also rebuked Biden, saying the president “got this one wrong.”
“This wasn’t a politically-motivated prosecution. Hunter committed felonies, and was convicted by a jury of his peers,” he wrote.
Trump Shouts Out ‘J-6 Hostages’ In Statement Slamming Hunter Biden Pardon
President-elect Donald Trump criticized President Joe Biden for pardoning his son, suggesting it was even more controversial than Trump’s own plans to pardon people who rioted at the Capitol.
“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 site.
Read more here:
See HuffPost’s Earlier 2024 Coverage
For earlier coverage of the 2024 elections and the aftermath of Trump’s win, go here.