Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) expressed his support for President Joe Biden’s controversial pardon of his son Hunter on federal tax and gun charges and stated on Thursday that he believes President-elect Donald Trump should also receive a pardon.
Fetterman described the charges against Hunter, which have been a focal point of Republican investigations for years, as “politically motivated” and “weaponized for political gain.” Fetterman, known for his unpredictable political stances, pointed out that legal experts have raised similar concerns regarding the charges against Hunter, noting that they are rarely pursued as standalone crimes.
“The same thing was done with Trump in the New York case. And that was bulls— too,” Fetterman said, drawing a comparison between Hunter’s case and Trump’s Manhattan conviction for falsifying business records to interfere with the 2016 presidential election. “And that was weaponized for political gain,” he continued, NBC News reported.
“Now, collectively, I think it’s appropriate for both sides to receive a pardon.” Fetterman’s remarks were made amid growing controversy surrounding both Hunter Biden’s legal battles and the ongoing investigations into Donald Trump. While Biden does not have the authority to pardon Trump for his Manhattan conviction—since it is a state-level case—he could issue a pardon for Trump’s federal election conspiracy charges or the classified documents theft charges brought by special counsel Jack Smith.
These charges were dismissed before reaching trial but could be revived after Trump leaves office. However, Biden has not indicated any plans to consider such a pardon for Trump, and Fetterman did not address whether he would push Biden to take that step.
The fate of Trump’s conviction in the Manhattan case remains uncertain. Although legal experts suggest that Trump could still be sentenced by Judge Juan Merchan, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has indicated that any sentencing might be postponed until after Trump’s potential second term. Fetterman’s comments, however, underscore the political complexities surrounding both high-profile figures and their legal troubles.