By Natalia Rueda 
On Tuesday, the Justice Department announced that Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, has reached an agreement with federal prosecutors to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax offenses and one felony firearm charge. Though Hunter has not been charged with any other crimes, the plea agreement will have wide-reaching implications for the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
For years, Hunter Biden has been the subject of investigations into his financial and business dealings, including an inquiry launched in 2018 into potential money laundering, tax, and foreign lobbying violations. Since then, the investigation has fueled heated political attacks from his father’s opponents, including then-President Donald Trump who had pressured Ukraine to investigate the Bidens.
Republican leaders have been quick to condemn the agreement, calling it overly generous and a “political and moral blow” for the president of the United States. Hunter has been the subject of a five-year investigation and is now a target of Republican ire.
President Joe Biden and the First Lady, however, have remained supportive of their son, with White House spokesman Ian Sams recently stating, “The President and First Lady love his son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life. We will have no further comment.”
The plea agreement also puts an end to the Department of Justice’s lengthy investigation. While the matter will remain under the public eye in the coming days when Hunter appears in front of a Delaware court, it avoids a trial that could have been very damaging for the White House.
The guilty plea has become a controversial subject amidst the ongoing tensions in American politics. One thing is certain, though: Hunter Biden’s guilty plea deal will continue to fuel the long-standing debate about whether the president and his family have benefited from Joe Biden’s political stance throughout his career.
Whether or not Hunter Biden’s plea agreement will become a significant issue in the 2024 presidential election remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that it will be an issue for some voters, driving a wedge between political parties and stoking questions about the ethics of the current administration.