On December 1, President Joe Biden announced that he had pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of making false statements on a gun background check and illegally possessing a firearm. The White House had previously stated that Biden wouldn`t pardon his son, but the President explained his decision, saying it was a personal one. Hunter Biden, a recovering drug addict, faced legal issues, including charges for not paying $1.4 million in taxes. Former President Donald Trump criticized the pardon, calling it a "miscarriage of justice." Biden said he made the decision over the weekend while spending Thanksgiving with his family, including Hunter, and hoped Americans would understand his choice as both a father and a President.