Hunter Biden ‘high or drunk’ when he name-dropped father over deal
Hunter Biden has claimed he was “high or drunk” when he used his father’s name to pressure a Chinese business associate.
The 54-year-old son of United States President Joe Biden made the statement as he appeared before congressional committees yesterday as part of an impeachment investigation into his father.
It appears to be a major admission by his team, which previously claimed that the screenshots of WhatsApp messages to a Chinese asset manager had been faked.
While negotiating a six-figure energy deal in 2017, Hunter Biden reportedly told Henry Zhao that he was “sitting here with my father, and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled”.
He continued: “And Z, if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang, or the chairman, I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction.”
A Congressional report claims a Chinese energy conglomerate sent US$5.1 million (NZ$8.4m) to accounts linked with Hunter Biden in the following days.
House Republicans began an inquiry into Joe Biden in September 2023, claiming that he used his political connections to enrich himself through his son’s business dealings. However, it is yet to find any evidence of corruption.
In a hearing that took place behind closed doors, Hunter Biden “admitted that he was high or drunk when he sent the ‘sitting here with my father’ WhatsApp message, sent it to the wrong recipient, and is now embarrassed by the message”.
The readout of his deposition, reported by the New York Post, added that Hunter Biden “confirmed that his dad was not sitting next to him”.
Joe Biden denied last year that he had been seated next to his son when Hunter sent the WhatsApp messages to Zhao.
In prepared remarks he delivered to the hearing, Hunter Biden hit out at suggestions that his father had been involved in his business ventures.
“I did not involve my father in my business,” he said. “Not while I was a practising lawyer, not in my investments or transactions domestic or international, not as a board member, and not as an artist. Never.”
He went on to criticise the inquiry as a “baseless and destructive political charade” that relied on “innuendo, distortion, and sensationalism”.