Hunter Biden 'disappointed' by guilty verdict, Trump campaign calls gun trial a 'distraction'

MSNBC podcast co-host and legal analyst Andrew Weissmann argued that President Biden’s conduct regarding his son Hunter Biden’s guilty verdict on Tuesday proves the chief executive has the utmost respect for the rule of law.

During an appearance on "MSNBC Reports" following the younger Biden's conviction on federal charges regarding him buying and owning a firearm while addicted to drugs, the legal expert praised the president for not getting in the way of his Department of Justice’s prosecution of his own son.

"You have a president of the United States who is living embodiment of the rule of law," Weissmann told MSNBC host José Díaz-Balart.

A Delaware jury found Biden guilty of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed gun dealer and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

From the outset of his appearance, Weissmann said he was less interested in the "particulars" of the case than what it said about the convict’s father, especially when compared to how former President Trump handled his own recent guilty verdict and the rule of law in general.

"This is a gun charge. The proof was overwhelming," Weissmann, a former FBI general counsel, said. "I agree with your other panelists that it is rarely charged. In my experience, over 21 years at the department, I never saw this kind of case brought. It would normally be somebody who is a felon in possession of a gun that would be charged."

Fox News' Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.

President Biden's remarks during an interview last year in which he said he trusts his son, Hunter, had social media users reacting Tuesday, hours after the younger Biden was convicted on all charges in a gun case.

Biden spoke with MSNBC on a variety of issues during an interview that aired on May 5, 2023. In the last seconds of the interview on "The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle," Biden was asked how potential criminal charges against Hunter Biden would impact his presidency.

"First of all, my son's done nothing wrong," Biden answered. "I trust him. I have faith in him and it impacts my presidency by making me feel proud of him."

On Tuesday, a jury in Delaware convicted Hunter Biden of lying on a federal firearm form in October 2018 when he was asked if he was an unlawful user of a firearm or addicted to controlled substances during a gun purchase.

Fox News' Louis Casiano contributed to this report.

NBC News chief political analyst Chuck Todd declared Tuesday that the conviction of Hunter Biden is a "big blow" to former President Trump.

During a segment of "MSNBC Reports" following Biden’s conviction on federal charges related to illegally possessing a firearm, Todd said that the real political fallout from the verdict hurts Trump because it proves there isn't a double standard at the Department of Justice.

"I think it really damages the Trump campaign’s ability to just wave away their conviction," the NBC analyst told network anchor Ana Cabrera.

The former president has long accused the Biden DOJ of targeting him and instigating the investigations and criminal trials that have plagued him ahead of the 2024 election. Most recently, Trump has said that the DOJ colluded with New York prosecutors to convict him on 34 counts of falsifying business records.

Todd argued Tuesday that the DOJ getting the president’s own son on federal charges destroys Trump’s argument that the department only goes after Biden’s enemies.

"But, politically, this is a big blow to Trump, and that’s – I think – if you’re looking for just political fallout, he’s trying so hard to create this weaponization – and this has been a Republican talking point for so long," he said.

Fox News' Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.

Andy McCarthy, a former assistant U.S. attorney and Fox News Channel contributor, on Tuesday appearing on America Reports called special counsel and Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss "a joke" in connection to the investigation into the president's son, Hunter Biden.

"I think Weiss is a joke. I mean, a lot of history happened here before that plea deal blew up as it deserved to," McCarthy said.

"Weiss had this case, Sandra, from October of 2018. Any other defendant would have been prosecuted by the end of 2018, or the beginning of 2019," he explained.

"Weiss got the the gig as Delaware U.S .attorney during the Trump years because his nomination was green lighted by the two Biden-allied Delaware senators, and he dutifully did nothing on this case for a couple of years, which is why they kept him when Joe Biden took office, and why it was very convenient for them to be able to wave around that he was a Trump appointee while he continued to sit around as the statute of limitations chewed up his case," he said.

"They didn't even want to do a sweetheart deal. They tried to get rid of this case with nothing. And it was only because of the whistleblowers who came forward and the attention that that brought to this matter, that they had to go to court and try, at least, to get something past a federal judge. But it was so absurd that it crumbled on the basis of just a few basic questions," McCarthy said.

Lunden Alexis Roberts, the mother of Hunter Biden’s 4-year-old daughter, Navy Joan Roberts, released a statement following Hunter's guilty verdict Tuesday:

"I respect the legal process and the verdict reached in Hunter Biden's gun trial. It is crucial that justice is served and that all individuals are held accountable for their actions, regardless of their status," Roberts said.

"This verdict serves as a reminder that the law applies to everyone equally. As the mother of Hunter's child, my primary concern has always been the well-being and future of our daughter. It is my hope that the resolution of these legal matters allows for a more stable and positive environment for her upbringing,"she said.

"I remain committed to ensuring that her needs are met and that she is provided with the love, support, and security she deserves. Moving forward, I hope for a future where we can all focus on her best interests and work towards a peaceful resolution for our family," she added.

Roberts is releasing a new book, "Out of the Shadows: My Life Inside the Wild World of Hunter Biden" which looks at her relationship with Hunter and what it's like to raise a Biden grandchild. The book is set to release on August 20, 2024.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre cancelled the daily press briefing after President Joe Biden changed his schedule to fly to Delaware to be with his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted of federal crimes on Tuesday.

The president was not originally scheduled to travel to Delaware but updated his schedule after the jury in Hunter's federal announced a unanimous guilty verdict Tuesday morning.

Hunter was found guilty of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed gun dealer, and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. said Tuesday that the guilty verdict in the federal gun crime case against the president's son, Hunter Biden, is the "first step" in "delivering accountability for the Biden crime family."

"Let's remember, this was Joe Biden's corrupt DOJ that tried to negotiate a sweetheart plea deal with outside immunity unrelated to this case, It was the judge who stepped in to expose that." Stefanik said.

Last year, Biden had struck a deal with the Justice Department to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax, as part of plea deal to avoid jail time on a felony gun charge.

But the judge did not accept the plea agreement, questioning the constitutionality — specifically the diversion clause and the immunity Hunter would receive. The case went to trial and led to his conviction on all counts.

"Today is the first step in delivering accountability for the Biden crime family. We must and we will continue as House Republicans to investigate the Biden crime family for the corrupt influence peddling schemes that generated over $18 million in foreign payments to the Biden crime family members," Stefanik said.

President Biden issued a heartfelt statement after his sole surviving son was convicted in federal court in Delaware.

"I am the President, but I am also a Dad. Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today," Biden said Tuesday minutes after Hunter Biden was found guilty by a federal jury on criminal gun charges.

The younger Biden was convicted on three counts tied to his October 2018 purchase and possession of a revolver while using illegal drugs. Federal prosecutors accused the president's son of lying on a federal background check form when he claimed he was not using or addicted to illegal drugs.

While the case appears to be a personal and emotional distraction for the president, the big question moving forward is whether his son's guilty verdicts will make any kind of political impact on Biden's 2024 election rematch with former President Trump and whether it will influence persuadable voters.

Following the historic conviction of a sitting president’s son, some legal experts pointed to Hunter Biden’s own memoir of his drug addiction recovery as "powerful" evidence for the jury to convict him.

Hunter Biden was found guilty on Tuesday of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed gun dealer, and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

After a week of witness testimony, the 12 jurors deliberated a total of three hours between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. 

Legal experts speaking to Fox News Digital pointed to Hunter Biden’s 2021 memoir titled, "Beautiful Things: A Memoir," chronicling his battle with addiction to illegal drugs, which they argued likely served as compelling evidence to the jury. The autobiographical book was played aloud in the courtroom, narrated in Hunter Biden’s voice as he was sitting in the courtroom. 

Hunter Biden was spotted having lunch with his wife and son at a food hall in Wilmington on Tuesday, just hours after he was found guilty on all counts in his federal gun trial.

Biden was seen eating with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, and their son, Beau. Biden appeared to be upbeat while smiling and taking pictures with locals who came up to him to say hello.

Biden's son sat on his lap and he smiled while talking to him.

A jury found Hunter Biden guilty of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed gun dealer, and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

Fox News' Rebekah Castor contributed to this update.

Democratic lawmakers are speaking out after the Hunter Biden verdict, arguing that Republicans must stop attacks on the nation's justice system in the wake of the decision.

"That is not the result of a sham process or some vast conspiracy by the Biden administration. That is the result of the truth. And these attacks on our justice system have to come to a stop," Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said after the verdict. "They are dangerous. They are irresponsible. They are nothing but false conspiracy theories being pushed to try and excuse the actions of the former president."

Those thoughts were echoed by Rep. Jamie Raskin, who argued that despite the fact that Biden was "just convicted of every single count that was brought against him," the lawmaker had "not heard a single Democrat anywhere in the country cry fraud, cry, fixed, cry, rigged, cry, kangaroo court or any of the many epithets that our colleagues have."

"Why? We believe in the rule of law. We believe in the justice system and we stand by it," Raskin said.

President Biden will travel to Wilmington, Delaware in the aftermath of his son, Hunter Biden's, guilty conviction Tuesday.

"The president will depart the Washington Hilton en route to Joint Base Andrews," the White House said in a Tuesday statement. "Then the president will depart Joint Base Andrews in route to Wilmington, Delaware," the White House said in a statement.

The trip comes as Hunter Biden was convicted on all counts Tuesday, which also garnered a statement from the president.

“As I said last week, I am the President, but I am also a Dad. Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today," Biden said in a statement. "So many families who have had loved ones battle addiction understand the feeling of pride seeing someone you love come out the other side and be so strong and resilient in recovery. As I also said last week, I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal."

House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said Tuesday that the verdict reached by the jury in Hunter Biden's gun trial is the "first step" for accountability for the "Biden Crime Family."

"Remember this was Joe Biden’s corrupt DOJ that tried to negotiate outside immunity unrelated to this case," Stefanik said in a statement. "Today is the first step in delivering accountability for the Biden Crime Family."

"We must and will continue to investigate the Biden Crime Family for their corrupt influence peddling schemes that generated over $18 million in foreign payments for the Biden Crime Family," she added.

Hunter Biden was found guilty of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed gun dealer, and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

Special Counsel David Weiss on Tuesday said that no-one is "above the law" after a jury in Delaware delivered a guilty verdict in the Hunter Biden federal gun crime trial.

"No one in this country is above the law... Hunter Biden should be no more accountable than any other citizen convicted of this same conduct," he said.

Weiss spoke after Biden was found guilty on three counts related to his purchase of a firearm in 2018.

Biden was found guilty of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed gun dealer, and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

The charges are related to a gun registration document in which he said he was not taking any illegal drugs when he purchased a firearm in 2018.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said Tuesday that the conviction of Hunter Biden is "kinda dumb."

"The Hunter Biden gun conviction is kinda dumb tbh," the congressman wrote in a post to X.

Hunter Biden was found guilty of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed gun dealer, and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

Prosecutors worked to prove that Hunter Biden lied on a federal firearm form, known as ATF Form 4473, in October 2018 when he ticked a box labeled "No" when asked if he is an unlawful user of a firearm or addicted to controlled substances. Hunter Biden purchased the gun from a store called StarQuest Shooters & Survival Supply in Wilmington.

Fox News' Emma Colton contributed to this update.

A former business associate of Hunter Biden told Fox News Digital he "feels bad" for Hunter with these charges and that it’s such a "bonehead charge" and "clearly more political gamesmanship with DOJ."

"It’s also a distraction from the main event with their influence peddling," the former business associate continued.

"I am convinced that the entire Justice System is just an institution of people with agendas; not an institution of laws," he added.

Hunter Biden was found guilty of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed gun dealer, and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

Hunter Biden, son of the President Joe Biden, said in a statement Tuesday after he was convicted by a Delaware jury that he is "more grateful" for the support from his family than he is "disappointed" in the guilty verdict.

“I am more grateful today for the love and support I experienced this last week from Melissa, my family, my friends, and my community than I am disappointed by the outcome," Biden said. 

"Recovery is possible by the grace of God, and I am blessed to experience that gift one day at a time," he added.

His defense attorney, Abbe Lowell, also issued a statement saying, “We are naturally disappointed by today’s verdict. We respect the jury process, and as we have done throughout this case, we will continue to vigorously pursue all the legal challenges available to Hunter."

"Through all he has been through in his recovery, including this trial, Hunter has felt grateful for and blessed by the love and support of his family," Lowell added.

The Trump campaign on Tuesday called the guilty verdict in the Hunter Biden gun trial a "distraction" from what it said are the "real crimes" of the Biden family.

 “This trial has been nothing more than a distraction from the real crimes of the Biden Crime Family, which has raked in tens of millions of dollars from China, Russia and Ukraine," Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.

"Crooked Joe Biden’s reign over the Biden Family Criminal Empire is all coming to an end on November 5th, and never again will a Biden sell government access for personal profit," she said.

Hunter Biden was found guilty of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed gun dealer, and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

Prosecutors worked to prove that Hunter Biden lied on a federal firearm form, known as ATF Form 4473, in October 2018 when he ticked a box labeled "No" when asked if he is an unlawful user of a firearm or addicted to controlled substances. Hunter Biden purchased the gun from a store called StarQuest Shooters & Survival Supply in Wilmington.

One of the jurors in the Hunter Biden gun trial said the case was heart wrenching, moments after the guilty verdict was handed down.

The 68-year-old juror from Sussex County described the case to Fox News as heart wrenching, but said he didn't buy the story that Hunter went to a 7-Eleven -- and said he thought he was probably buying crack-cocaine.

The prosecution had suggested that Biden was trying to reach out and find drug dealers when he was arranging to meet someone at the convenience store.

The juror said that when they got the case to deliberate “that’s when it got real."

The juror had gone into case not knowing much about the case or having views on it, but he said he had family members who own guns. He also said he had a brother-in-law and another loved one in his life struggled with addiction. Both passed away.

The jury found Biden guilty of charges of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed gun dealer, and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

“Nobody is above the law, doesn’t matter who you are," the juror said. 

“Politics played no part in this whatsoever.”

Fox News' Jake Gibson contributed reporting.