The American leader had however assured several times that he would not grant a presidential pardon to his son. As recently as September, the White House reaffirmed this.
This decision is sure to raise new questions about the independence of the American judicial system, particularly at a time when President-elect Donald Trump has decided to appoint loyal supporters to head the FBI and the Department of Justice.
Hunter Biden, 54, pleaded guilty in September to tax fraud in a Los Angeles, California, court, avoiding a trial.
Joe Biden’s youngest son was also convicted this year of lying about his drug addiction when purchasing a weapon – a misdemeanor in the state of Delaware, Biden’s stronghold.
This ex-lawyer and businessman, now converted to painting, was still waiting to know what sentence he would receive in each of these cases.
“I said I would not interfere with the decision-making of the Department of Justice and I kept my word even when I saw my son being selectively and unfairly prosecuted,” Joe Biden said in his press release.
“The accusations in his cases emerged only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” he added.
“I believe in the justice system but … I also believe (that a) crude form of politics has infected this process and (that) this has led to a miscarriage of justice.”
At the same time, criminal cases against Donald Trump have stalled since the Supreme Court issued a historic ruling on presidential immunity, likely ensuring Joe Biden’s Republican rival will never serve prison time even after his conviction for falsification of accounting documents last May.
American presidents have already used pardons to help members of their family or political allies.
Bill Clinton pardoned his half-brother convicted of cocaine possession and Donald Trump pardoned the father of his son-in-law convicted of tax evasion, although in both cases the men had already served their prison sentences.
Trump has promised to pardon everyone convicted of invading the Capitol on January 6, 2021, in an attempt to prevent Congress from certifying his opponent Joe Biden’s victory.
The Republican made reference to it in a message published on his Truth Social network on Sunday evening, writing: “Does Joe’s pardon of Hunter include the (January 6) hostages, who have been imprisoned for years? What an abuse and what a miscarriage of justice!”
