‘Not Good Politics’: Jen Psaki Reacts To Joe Biden Pardoning His Son

Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki reacted on Monday to news that her onetime boss, President Joe Biden, had pardoned his son Hunter Biden.

“If you recall the president saying repeatedly over the last few months that he would not pardon his own son ― for months, he’s been saying that — you’d be correct,” the MSNBC host said on “Inside.”

“It was a commitment that was widely applauded, for good reason, including by me. And last night, Joe Biden reversed course on that commitment.”

She said Biden’s decision was “not good politics” and suggested it would hurt the legacy of “someone who has consistently stood for principle over personal needs.”

“Yes, Hunter Biden has done some stupid things,” she said. “And yes, Hunter Biden has done some illegal things.”

The president’s son, who is recovering from drug addiction, “should not have lied about his drug use when filling out paperwork to register for a handgun,” and “of course, he should have paid his taxes in full and on time,” Psaki said.

“My bet is Joe Biden knows that too, but he made his decision not as a politician. He made it as a dad,” she added.

Hunter Biden was set to be sentenced later this month on gun and tax charges in two separate cases. He faced prison time for lying on a federal form when he bought a gun in 2018 and said he wasn’t a drug user, and for failing to pay his taxes.

Psaki noted that Hunter Biden is a private citizen and that in a matter of months, Joe Biden will be, too.

“He’s not a threat to our intelligence-gathering, to our national intelligence or to our law enforcement institutions,” she said of Hunter Biden.

“So tonight and moving forward, we’re going to spend most of our time talking about the people who are and who may be,” she added.

She devoted the next segment to analyzing two of Donald Trump’s controversial Cabinet picks: conspiracy theorist Kash Patel for FBI director and former Fox News host Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense.

“I’ve worked in the White House and the national security space for years. I know firsthand how important these jobs are,” she said. “They’re not political jobs either. And if Kash Patel and Pete Hegseth actually get confirmed or somehow find themselves in these jobs — five-alarm fire might be an understatement.”

Watch her commentary below.