President Joe Biden did not speak to daughter-in-law Hallie about the upcoming federal trial of his son Hunter, her brother-in-law and former lover, according to the White House.
Hallie Biden is expected to be called as “witness 3” when prosecutors for special counsel David Weiss‘s criminal gun case against Hunter Biden start their trial on Monday in Delaware.
“I think the American people should also be told the full breadth of this, not just a part of this question here,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Tuesday. “As you all know, the president actually spoke to this yesterday during his, I think, impactful, powerful, Memorial Day address, where he talked about, he talked about the passing, the anniversary, the ninth anniversary, of the passing of his son, and he visited her as that anniversary is approaching.”
“He visited her days before the anniversary of the passing of his son,” she said. “She is family. She was married, obviously, to his late son, and I think that is something also to mention as you’re asking your question to me.”
Jean-Pierre underscored that Joe Biden’s visit “was not” about Hallie Biden’s testimony.
The press secretary could not provide details on how Joe Biden planned to support Hunter Biden during what is anticipated to be a two-week trial as the president is scheduled to be in Europe for the anniversary of the Normandy landings during World War II. The younger Biden has pleaded not guilty to allegedly having a gun while using narcotics.
“I’m always very mindful on speaking to that,” Jean-Pierre said. “I will say what I have said many times before: The president and the first lady, they love their son. They are proud of how their son has been able to get back on his feet and continue his progress, and they will continue to support him.”
“Next week is also incredibly important foreign policy travel, where we are going to, obviously, be in France for the anniversary of D-Day, so the president looks forward to doing that, to being in France,” she added. “Obviously the first lady will be going as well as there is a state dinner component.”
Jean-Pierre additionally sidestepped questions regarding Lunden Roberts, the former Arkansas stripper with whom Hunter Biden has a daughter. Roberts announced on Tuesday that she is writing a book about what her publisher describes as her “tumultuous” relationship with the younger Biden.
Joe Biden publicly acknowledged their child, his grandchild, for the first time last year, but the press secretary did not “have anything to share” when asked whether the elder Biden had met Navy Joan Roberts, 5.
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In Out of the Shadows, which will be released on Aug. 20, Roberts “recounts the chaos, the broken trust, and ultimately the incredible love she found mothering and protecting the long-unacknowledged grandchild of the sitting President of the United States,” according to Skyhorse Publishing.
“‘Out of the Shadows’ chronicles that rollercoaster ride of a relationship, touching on the drug cook working in Rosemont Seneca’s kitchen, strip clubs where Hunter might try the pole himself, protecting him from would-be terrorists in New York City, the night she grabbed two guns and was certain she would have to fatally shoot a crazed MMA fighter, and dozens of other stories that make the laptop debacle seem routine,” the publishing house said.