‘What the hell is happening?’ the president’s aides are asking each other, according to a report by NBC News.
Hunter Biden, who goes on trial for tax evasion in September and could be sentenced to prison in October on firearms offenses, has in recent days emerged as a key adviser to his father on political strategy following the elder Biden’s disastrous performance in last week’s debate, according to multiple reports.
According to NBC News, the first son has been a visible presence in the White House, stopping by unannounced as President Biden is meeting with staff about the presidential race. The New York Times reported this past weekend that the first had emerged as a forceful voice, along with his stepmother, first lady Jill Biden, urging his father to stay in the race.
According to the NBC report, White House aides are asking themselves and each other: “What the hell is happening?” regarding the sudden intrusion of Biden, long a visible presence at White House social events such as state dinners and the Easter egg roll, into serious political meetings.
The White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, said on Tuesday in response to the NBC report that Biden only participated in one “speech prep” meeting with his father and senior advisors on Monday before the president addressed the media, without taking questions, about the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity decision.
“The president is very close to his family. This is a holiday week,” Ms. Jean-Pierre said. “He’s close to his family, which is not unusual.”
This past weekend, Biden was present along with many other family members at Camp David for what the White House said was a pre-planned family gathering where the tight-knit Biden clan was to pose for the celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz. It was during this post-debate gathering that, according to the Times, the first son and the first lady urged the president to stay in the race.
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