Hardtalk

“Was it good for our Constitution? Was it good for the American people? Was it good for my dad's legacy? No, on all counts. It was not. All I know is that I'm grateful that he did it for me.” BBC Newsnight presenter Paddy O’Connell speaks to Hunter Biden, son of former president Joe Biden, about his father’s controversial decision to give him a presidential pardon at the end of his one term in office. The unconditional pardon was issued in December 2024, as Hunter faced sentencing for two criminal cases. In a statement at the time, the president said his son had been "singled out" and called the cases "a miscarriage of justice." In an interview for BBC Newsnight, Hunter Biden also talks about the depths of his drug and alcohol addictions, and the toll it took on his family. He talks about the deteriorating health of his father and reveals whether he has presidential ambitions of his own. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews