Hunter Biden joining White House meetings amidst US president's health concerns, staff ‘struck by conflict of interest'

U.S. President Joe Biden, his son Hunter Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk from Marine One at Fort McNair in Washington, U.S. July 1, 2024.

In a week marked by heightened scrutiny over President Biden's health and the ongoing criminal proceedings involving Hunter Biden, the president's son has now made headlines by joining White House meetings, reportedly causing confusion among staff. This development comes as the Biden family convened at Camp David on Sunday, a gathering that has raised eyebrows amidst the charged political climate.

Hunter Biden assisting father Joe Biden in presidential work

Hunter Biden has been actively participating in White House meetings with top aides, closely advising his father, President Biden, and unexpectedly appearing in meetings and phone calls, according to an NBC News report citing multiple sources. These sources have expressed surprise at Hunter's sudden involvement, with reactions ranging from confusion to concern about potential conflicts of interest.

"Experts have long pointed to Hunter Biden's role as a top adviser to the president, marking a clear conflict of interest," the report states. "This person said Hunter Biden has "popped into" a couple of meetings and phone calls the president has had with some of his advisers."

Given Hunter Biden's recent legal troubles, this report has only intensified concerns. Hunter was convicted last month in a Delaware federal court on gun charges and remains under indictment for tax-related felonies, charges to which he has pleaded not guilty.

In addition to his legal battles, Hunter Biden is reportedly a staunch advocate for his father's re-election campaign. During the family meeting at Camp David, Hunter was said to be one of the most vocal supporters of President Biden's decision to remain in the race, despite a lackluster debate performance.

Critics are arguing that Hunter's involvement as an adviser to the president represents a conflict of interest, particularly given the possibility of presidential pardons.

Mike Howell, the executive director of the Oversight Project at the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital, "It's just a pure and simple massive interest in his dad staying president so he can pardon not only Hunter, but Joe and the rest of the family for the crimes they committed, and probably Merrick Garland, too, for his role in the cover-up."

The president’s health has also been a topic of discussion, with figures like Nancy Pelosi suggesting it is legitimate to question the fitness of both President Biden and former President Trump for office. This debate over presidential fitness has added another layer of complexity to the ongoing election cycle.

White House downplays the situation Hunter Biden’s presence

In response to concerns about Hunter Biden’s presence, White House spokesman Andrew Bates downplayed the situation, explaining that Hunter had simply accompanied the president back from Camp David and joined him in speech preparation. Similarly, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reassured reporters that the president is "very close to his family" and that Hunter’s involvement was part of their routine family interactions during the holiday week.

"This is a holiday week, 4th of July," Jean-Pierre said during a Tuesday news conference. “He spent time with his family, as you all know, and reported at Camp David. Hunter came back with him and walked with him into that meeting, that prep, that speech prep.”

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