WASHINGTON, December 2. /TASS/. US President Joe Biden's explanations for pardoning his son Hunter and granting him immunity in two criminal cases fall short of scrutiny, US conservative publicist and prominent journalist John Gizzi told TASS.

"His explanation for changing his mind is somewhat Orwellian <...> Had he simply held open the possibility of a pardon [for his son] without ruling it out, <...> his statement would have been understandable. But to blame 'political enemies' and think the attacks on him would not cease even though he obviously will not be running again just does not hold water," the Newsmax's chief political columnist and White House correspondent commented on Joe Biden's statement.

"My guess is the public will forgive a father helping a wayward son trying to straighten himself out and leave it at that. But to go out this way after charging his predecessor and successor [US President-elect Donald Trump] with untruthful and misleading behavior is something less than I would have expected from the Joe Biden I covered for decades," Gizzi added.

According to Joe Biden's written statement published by the White House on December 1, he had decided to issue a pardon for his son Hunter on two separate criminal charges, despite his previous repeated vows not to do so. This concerns Hunter Biden’s federal gun charges in Delaware and federal tax evasion charges in California. The US president argued that Hunter Biden had been "selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted." In addition, Joe Biden insisted that the charges in these cases came about only after several political opponents in the US Congress instigated them. Sentencing for Hunter Biden was scheduled to take place in Delaware and California courts on December 12 and 16. He was potentially facing long-term imprisonment.

Republican Donald Trump called Democrat Joe Biden's announcement an abuse of power and a denial of justice. Trump will become the US president on January 20, 2025, following his victory in the November 5 presidential election. He has already served as US president from 2017 to 2021.