U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a presidential pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted on charges of making false statements on a gun background check, illegal firearm possession, and tax offences.

In an official statement, Mr. Biden defended the decision, describing the charges as politically motivated and emphasizing his role as both a father and president.

President Joe Biden’s decision comes just weeks before Hunter Biden is set to be sentenced for his conviction in the gun case and guilty plea on tax charges, and less than two months before President-elect Donald Trump is due to return to the White House.

Hunter Biden, publicly disclosed he was under federal investigation in December 2020, in connection with his business dealings in China, and claims of tax and money laundering law violations. He was also convicted in June, this year in a Delaware federal court of three felonies for purchasing a gun in 2018

Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump condemned the pardon. Trump called it a miscarriage of justice and questioned whether others, such as January 6 Capitol rioters, would receive similar clemency.