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Jen Psaki, President Joe Biden’s former press secretary, said the White House wants Hunter Biden to “stop talking in public.”
It comes after the president’s son made comments outside Congress last week saying he would not comply with a congressional subpoena for closed-door testimony. In the five-minute remarks, he also defended the president against Republican investigations.
“Look, I think if you’re in the White House right now, you’re like, ‘Here you go, Hunter Biden. We know your father loves you. Please stop talking in public.” It’s not helpful to any of them that he’s there,” Psaki said during a discussion on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday.
Hunter has caused a host of problems for President Biden — most notably regarding his sketchy foreign business dealings, but also with the release of images of him being naked and taking drugs.
Jen Psaki, President Joe Biden’s former press secretary, said on Sunday: “Look, I think if you’re sitting in the White House right now, you’re like, ‘Here you go, Hunter Biden.’ We know your father loves you. Please stop talking in public.” It doesn’t do any good for any of them for him to be out there.”
Hunter Biden spoke at a news conference outside the Capitol last week to explain that he refused to comply with a congressional subpoena to testify behind closed doors — but said he will answer questions at a public hearing
While Psaki thinks it’s time for Hunter to pack his bags and step out of public life for the president’s sake, she also thinks Biden’s commitment to his son and family could be a rallying cry for voters as he looks to is running for re-election in 2024.
She specifically referenced a comment from an NBC News focus group in which one voter’s one word to describe Biden was “family.”
“But at the same time, the president loves his son,” Psaki said. “That takes precedence over everything else. That’s attractive.’
“I think of the woman in your focus group who talked about family. He loves his son. He loves his family. He worries about his mental health. But yes, the White House would like him to leave right now.”
The focus group participant said, “Honestly, it has nothing to do with politics. Family. When I think about him, I think he cares a lot about his family.”
Others used words like “tired,” “out,” and “status quo.”
Hunter Biden gave a brief news conference on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, defying Republican-led committees subpoenaing him for closed-door testimony as they investigate the president.
The White House said President Biden was “familiar” with Hunter’s statement before making it.
Hunter agreed that he would give public testimony but not testify behind closed doors.
Republicans immediately seized on his refusal to show up, claiming that if people like Donald Trump Jr. did the same, he would be indicted.
Pictured: L Hunter Biden holding son Beau Biden Jr. stuck while leaving a restaurant in Wilmington, Delaware, on Monday