After a number of key legislative priorities related to cracking down on China failed to make it into the yearly defense bill, Republicans are working on ways to get them signed into law before the end of the year. 

On Wednesday, the House will vote on the sprawling 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which sets policy plans for the Pentagon’s $895 billion budget. That legislation was negotiated between Republican and Democratic leadership in both the House and Senate and typically enjoys wide bipartisan support. 

And while the package will not advance legislation aimed at cracking down on U.S. dollars flowing toward Chinese Communist Party-affiliated companies, Republicans will push to include those provisions, which are a key priority for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in other must-pass legislation.

With a government funding deadline in 10 days, those measures could be included in a continuing resolution (CR), which would punt the funding deadline down the road and keep budgets at FY 2024 levels, multiple sources familiar with negotiations confirmed to Fox News Digital. 

‘During the course of negotiations on the annual defense bill, significant progress was made towards achieving consensus on provisions to counter China and strengthen our economic security. That momentum remains and more time is needed to get that important work done with the goal of passage before the end of the year,’ Johnson said in a statement. 

One provision that was left out would prevent the U.S. from investing in the development of military technologies, a way to codify a rule put forward by President Biden’s Treasury Department.

The rule prohibits U.S. financing of some China-based ventures and requires Americans to notify the government of their involvement in others. 

It restricts and monitors U.S. investments in artificial intelligence, computer chips and quantum computing, all of which have a dual use in the defense and commercial sectors. 

The rule seeks to limit the access ‘countries of concern,’ like China, including Hong Kong and Macao, have to U.S. dollars to fund the development of high-level technologies like next-generation missile systems and fighter jets they could then utilize for their own military. It’s set to take effect Jan. 2.  

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., demanded that outbound investments piece not be included in the negotiated NDAA, three sources familiar with the negotiations confirmed. 

Some mused that Democrats put up a fight over China provisions because they were frustrated with another provision Republicans insisted on including: a ban on military health care providers from paying for transgender operations like sex changes for dependent minors if it would leave them sterile.

Politico was first to report about the back-and-forth. 

Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, said he would not vote for the legislation – which includes big pay raises for junior troops – over the transgender provision. 

And in a relief for Chinese biotechnology companies, the Biosecure Act, which prohibits the U.S. government from contracting with companies that do business with a ‘biotechnology company of concern,’ has been left out of the NDAA. 

Three sources familiar with the negotiations told Fox News Digital that Reps. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., and Jamie Raskin, D-Md., stood in the way of the legislation’s inclusion in the negotiated defense bill.

Raskin could not be reached for comment on his opposition. 

McGovern opposed the bill when it came up for a stand-alone vote in the House. 

‘The Biosecure Act, is a weak bill, and as written, it could actually make the problem even worse,’ he said in a statement. 

‘First, naming specific companies will create a ‘whack-a-mole’ situation where entities can change their name and reincorporate to evade sanctions,’ he went on. ‘Second, it’s totally wrong to call out specific companies without any formal investigation or interagency process – that might be how they do things in the [People’s Republic of China], but this is the United States of America where we ought to have a thorough, independent investigation.’

In September, Fox News Digital reported that lawmakers were aware of a machine operated by a Chinese military company in use at the nation’s most secretive government laboratories. 

The machine operated by Chinese biotech company BGI is in use at the Los Alamos lab in New Mexico. 

BGI, among other companies, is included in a ban in the Biosecure Act. 

Also among them is WuXi Biologics, a company that planned to build a $300 million biomedical plant in McGovern’s district. 

Attaching the China outbound investment provision and the Biosecure Act to must-pass legislation would ensure it doesn’t die in the Democratic-led Senate the way House GOP-led bills often do. 

President-elect Trump said Christopher Wray’s resignation is a ‘great day for America,’ telling Fox News Digital it ‘will end the weaponization’ of the FBI, while touting his nominee Kash Patel as the ‘most qualified’ to lead the bureau. 

Wray announced Wednesday afternoon his plans to resign in January 2025. 

‘The resignation of Christopher Wray is a great day for America as it will end the weaponization of what has become known as the United States Department of Injustice,’ Trump told Fox News Digital. ‘I just don’t know what happened to him.’ 

Trump said his administration ‘will now restore the rule of law for all Americans.’ 

‘Under the leadership of Christopher Wray, the FBI illegally raided my home, without cause, worked diligently on illegally impeaching and indicting me, and has done everything else to interfere with the success and future of America,’ Trump told Fox News Digital. ‘They have used their vast powers to threaten and destroy many innocent Americans, some of which will never be able to recover from what has been done to them.’ 

The president-elect looked ahead to his nominee to lead the bureau, Kash Patel. 

‘Kash Patel is the most qualified nominee to lead the FBI in the Agency’s History, and is committed to helping ensure that Law, Order, and Justice will be brought back to our Country again, and soon,’ Trump said. ‘As everyone knows, I have great respect for the rank-and-file of the FBI, and they have great respect for me. They want to see these changes every bit as much as I do but, more importantly, the American People are demanding a strong, but fair, system of justice.’ 

‘We want our FBI back, and that will now happen,’ he continued. ‘I look forward to Kash Patel’s confirmation, so that the process of Making the FBI Great Again can begin.’ 

During a town hall Wednesday, Wray announced his plans to resign next month. 

‘After weeks of careful thought, I’ve decided the right thing for the bureau is for me to serve until the end of the current administration in January and then step down,’ Wray said during the town hall. ‘My goal is to keep the focus on  our mission – the indispensable work you’re doing on behalf of the American people every day. In my view, this is the best way to avoid dragging the bureau deeper into the fray while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work.’

The FBI director said the decision was not easy for him, adding he loves the FBI, its mission and people.

Wray is seven years into his 10-year term. 

Trump appointed Wray in 2017 after he fired former Director James Comey from the post. 

Trump nominated Kash Patel to serve as FBI director earlier this month, giving Wray the option to leave on his own or be fired.

While Wray’s last day is still undecided, it is expected to be in January before Trump’s inauguration.

The moment Wray leaves, Deputy Director Paul Abbate will become acting director until the new director is in place. Abbate is a career official who is eligible to retire from the bureau soon. He planned months ago to retire in the new year. 

Meanwhile, Patel has been meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill this week and has received a warm reception. 

Patel’s experience ranges from personally carrying out dangerous missions in the Middle East in an effort to bring home U.S. hostages to implementing counterterrorism strategies against America’s most-wanted terrorists. 

Current and former U.S. national security officials and lawmakers say that when looking at his résumé ‘objectively,’ he is ‘one of the most experienced people ever to be nominated’ to lead the bureau. 

During the first Trump administration, Patel served as a deputy assistant to Trump and as senior director for counterterrorism. In that role, Patel was involved in presidential missions aimed at decimating al Qaeda senior leadership and ISIS command and control. Patel was involved in the planning of the mission to take out Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, among others. 

Patel also was involved in efforts to bring some of the most-wanted terrorists to the U.S. for prosecution, and worked on Trump administration efforts to return dozens of U.S. hostages back home.

Beyond his counterterrorism work, Patel was heavily involved in U.S. strategy to counter Chinese, Russian, Iranian and North Korean efforts against U.S. interests. He also worked on the implementation of multimillion-dollar sanctions against foreign adversaries. 

Prior to working as a deputy to Trump and in the NSC, Patel worked in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) as the principal deputy to the acting DNI Ric Grenell and helped former Director John Ratcliffe transition into the role. Trump nominated Ratcliffe last month to serve as the director of the CIA.  

At ODNI, Patel also worked to focus intelligence collection against counter narcotic and transnational threats. 

It has been nearly 14 months since my brother-in-law, Omri Miran, was taken hostage by Hamas during the devastating attacks of Oct. 7, 2023. These have been months of anguish and uncertainty for my family and for the families of the 100 individuals still held captive after Hamas kidnapped 251 people from Israel to the Gaza Strip. We have advocated tirelessly with the Israeli government, the U.S. administration, and the international community, but our loved ones remain in captivity.

The recent U.S. elections, which delivered a Republican trifecta and Donald Trump’s return to the White House, have sparked intense debates about what this shift means for America and the world. While other issues are as important for us, the families of hostages, there is only one thing on our minds: How can this new political reality provide the best opportunity yet to break the deadlock and bring the hostages home?

The situation is complex, but at its heart, the release of the hostages hinges on one thing: leverage. For a deal to happen, Israel must feel secure enough to make compromises, Hamas and its backers must feel compelled to negotiate, and the United States must be the guarantor of a credible path forward. Republican-controlled executive and legislative branches may have the tools, relationships, and political capital to make this happen, and there are already signs of a (cautious) change emerging from the talks in Cairo between Egypt and Hamas.

For Israel, the issue of security guarantees is paramount. The Israeli government has consistently emphasized that any ceasefire or hostage release deal must be tied to a broader framework ensuring that Hamas will no longer control Gaza. A post-war Gaza without Hamas is a non-negotiable Israeli demand, yet it requires a robust international framework to ensure implementation. Trump, with his historically close relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has the credibility to push Israel toward the compromises necessary to secure the hostages’ release while reassuring its leadership that America will stand firm on ensuring Hamas’ disarmament and exclusion from Gaza’s future governance, and Israel’s right to re-engage if Hamas and their accomplices violate the ceasefire at any point. Such guarantees should not be limited to the next four years; they should be incorporated into a long-term defense agreement between the U.S. and Israel.

On the other side, Hamas operates under the patronage of powerful sponsors—namely Iran, Qatar, and Turkey. These countries provide Hamas with financial, logistical, and diplomatic support, thus holding considerable sway over its decisions. Under the Biden administration, these relationships were diplomatically acknowledged but never effectively leveraged. While the Biden team showed incredible empathy and determination in advocating for the hostages, internal divisions within the Democratic Party and the fact it had to manage such conflict during an election year undermined its ability to exert consistent and unified pressure on all the players involved.

… the Trump administration’s track record of a transactional approach to diplomacy, paired with a hardline stance on Iran and an unapologetic alliance with Israel, creates a different dynamic. 

In contrast, the Trump administration’s track record of a transactional approach to diplomacy, paired with a hardline stance on Iran and an unapologetic alliance with Israel, creates a different dynamic. Iran, Qatar, and Turkey would likely interpret Trump’s demands as less flexible and more consequential than Biden’s. These nations—especially Qatar, which has acted as a mediator—must be compelled to press Hamas into concessions. With Trump in office and a Republican Congress backing him, the U.S. can create a cohesive and credible threat that changes the calculus for Hamas and its sponsors.

Critics will argue that Trump’s return to power brings risks, including escalating regional tensions. However, in this case, Trump’s willingness to take bold, even controversial, actions could lead to a breakthrough. His administration’s Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations, showcased a capacity to upend long-standing diplomatic impasses through unconventional methods. That same approach could be applied here.

The Biden administration’s efforts should not be overlooked. President Biden personally supported the families of hostages, showing compassion and a deep understanding of our pain. His administration worked diligently, especially for the American hostages, and his leadership has left an indelible mark on the international response to the crisis. However, deep divisions within his party hamstrung his ability to pressure all sides effectively. Progressive voices critical of Israeli policy complicated U.S.-Israeli coordination, while a lack of unified strategy and urgency limited the administration’s engagement with Hamas’ backers.

Now, with Trump’s return, the game has changed. His alignment with Netanyahu and his hawkish stance on Iran makes it possible to align U.S. and Israeli priorities in a way that was more challenging under the previous administration. Moreover, a Republican Congress can provide the unified legislative support needed to back bold executive actions, from increased military aid for Israel to sanctions or diplomatic maneuvers targeting Hamas’ sponsors.

This is not to suggest that the path forward will be simple or painless. The scars left by October 7 will not heal quickly, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza demands urgent attention. However, ending this cycle of violence requires a solution that addresses all sides’ core concerns. A ceasefire tied to the release of the hostages and a post-war reality in Gaza that excludes Hamas offers a framework that, while challenging, is achievable.

For families like mine, this is not a partisan issue. It is a matter of life and death. We need leadership that can break through the impasse and deliver results. If the Republican trifecta can provide Israel with the guarantees it needs and compel Hamas’ sponsors to act, then this moment must not be wasted.

Omri and 99 more hostages, at least half are believed to be alive by Israel’s intelligence community, are waiting. Their freedom depends on the courage and determination to seize this opportunity.

Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., excoriated Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the estimated ‘tens of billions’ of U.S. taxpayer dollars he says have been sent to the Taliban since U.S. troops withdrew from Afghanistan. 

Mast, who was selected a day earlier to become the new chair of the House Foreign Relations Committee next month, grilled Blinken over the Biden administration’s handling of the chaotic August 2021 withdrawal. 

The current committee chair, Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, issued multiple subpoenas in September for Blinken to testify. Under threat of a contempt of Congress vote, he finally agreed. 

Mast asked the U.S.’ top diplomat if he had been in Afghanistan since the killing of 13 U.S. service members and roughly 170 Afghan civilians by a suicide bombing attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport’s Abbey Gate, and Blinken responded that he had not. Noting that the United States no longer has control of the U.S. embassy in Afghanistan, Mast said, ‘yet we are still giving the Taliban tens of billions of dollars.’ 

‘There’s an American citizen out there, literally woke up this morning losing 30% of their paycheck. And a good percentage of that is going to the Taliban or other programs abroad,’ Mast said. ‘And this is something that we all need to think about, and we will be thinking about deeply for the next two years. There’s a joke that’s made often out there about kids going to college to learn basket weaving, and what a joke that would be. But the United States right now is literally sending tens of millions of dollars to the Taliban. 14.9 million, to be exact, to teach Afghans how to do carpet weaving.’ 

‘We are giving $280 million to the United Nations to do cash transfers for food in Afghanistan,’ Mast continued. ‘Yet we’re not sending an ear of corn from Iowa, a sack of potatoes from Idaho, or a cucumber or an orange from Florida. And that discounts the fact that there’s no American tonnage going through our ports to send those things out of here, either. It’s just cash transfers.’ 

Citing reports by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), which tracks the status of U.S. funds appropriated for reconstruction efforts, Mast said another $75 million has been sent to teach women to become farmers. 

‘I don’t believe that we spend $30 million in the United States of America to teach women to be farmers,’ Mast said. 

Earlier, Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., stressed how since Afghanistan fell to the Taliban ‘women have effectively been banished from public life, unable to speak in public or holding a job, including nursing.’ 

‘My colleague Mr. Wilson brought up that they can’t even dance in the streets or speak to one another or go to school. I’m not sure that we can trust that that $75 million is being used to teach them agriculture,’ Mast said. ‘And as you pointed out, we don’t have any diplomats on the ground to confirm the validity of these programs.’ 

Mast also asked Blinken to explain the $3.5 billion transferred to the Afghan fund ‘that is tended to protect the macro financial stability on behalf of the Afghan people.’ 

‘What the hell does that mean? Can you tell me? I don’t know, that’s a bunch of gibberish to me,’ Mast pressed. ‘Even worse, by the numbers, we spent $9 billion to resettle 90,000 roughly Afghan refugees here since the fall of Afghanistan. My simple Army math tells me that’s about $100,000 a person. That’s absurd. So my question for you. We do not even have an embassy in Afghanistan. We have no diplomats there. What are we doing giving them $1?’ 

Blinken’s response centered on how the money the United States and other countries provide is implemented through partners, such as United Nations agencies and NGOs. 

‘Yes, we could say that about all the State Department dollars, foreign NGOs, foreign countries, foreign companies, and in this case, foreign adversaries,’ Mast interjected. 

‘Mr. Secretary, you know for a fact that people literally, especially outside of this country, they directly lied to us,’ Mast said. ‘Your people had to come back and correct. Hey, it turns out we were, in fact, spending half a million dollars to expand atheism in Nepal. through the third party implementer of Humanist International. They were lying to us. They didn’t show us the exact slide show that they put together for half a million dollars. And all this, they lied to us. We have no eyes on the ground. And I would simply close with this. We again, we do not even have an embassy there. We have no business putting one dollar into that place.’ 

Mast was referencing how a two-year investigation by House Republicans forced the State Department to admit that a $500,000 grant intended to promote ‘humanism and secularism’ in Nepal may have been misused. 

In response, Blinken said he respectfully disagreed with Mast’s opposition to the Afghan funds, saying, ‘The work we have done through these partners, and many other countries have done, has saved many, many lives in an incredibly difficult situation.’ 

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., pledged to try to find agreement with President-elect Trump when the Republican takes power next year.

‘Democrats have consistently made clear that we are ready, willing and able, to find bipartisan common ground with the incoming administration on any issue,’ Jeffries said during his weekly press conference on Wednesday.

One issue he held up in particular was finding bipartisan ways to tackle the cost of living crisis that’s putting a strain on millions of Americans.

He later reasserted that promise when asked by a reporter about how he anticipates navigating a relationship with Trump.

‘We are prepared to find common ground with the incoming administration on any issue, particularly as it relates to the most decisive ones to emerge from this election, which, in our view, is to deal with the high cost of living,’ Jeffries said.

‘The American people are correct that the deck has been stacked against everyday Americans for decades in ways that undermine the ability for far too many Americans to access the American Dream.’

The Democratic leader said he has not spoken with Trump yet since his election but anticipated a conversation ‘in the next few weeks.’

Jeffries will be among the figures to watch next year as lawmakers navigate another Trump-held Washington. 

He is the only one of the four congressional leaders next year to not have any kind of relationship with Trump. 

His predecessor, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., had a famously combative relationship with the president-elect.

But House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., a close ally of Trump’s, will almost certainly need to have buy-in from Jeffries on critical legislation next year. 

With several Republicans expected to leave the House for Trump administration roles, the likely margin for at least the first few months in Congress will be 217-215 – meaning Republicans must vote in lock-step to pass any bills without Democratic support.

FBI Director Christopher Wray announced plans to step down from his post at the end of the Biden administration.

Fox News learned just moments before the announcement that Wray would make the announcement during an FBI town hall in Washington, D.C., during which thousands of FBI employees are expected to join virtually across the country.

‘After weeks of careful thought, I’ve decided the right thing for the bureau is for me to serve until the end of the current administration in January and then step down,’ Wray said during the town hall. ‘My goal is to keep the focus on our mission — the indispensable work you’re doing on behalf of the American people every day. In my view, this is the best way to avoid dragging the bureau deeper into the fray while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work.’

The FBI director said the decision was not easy for him, adding he loves the FBI, its mission and people.

Wray also said his focus is, and always has been, on the FBI doing what is right.

‘When you look at where the threats are headed, it’s clear that the importance of our work — keeping Americans safe and upholding the Constitution — will not change. And what absolutely cannot, must not change is our commitment to doing the right thing, the right way, every time,’ Wray said. 

‘Our adherence to our core values, our dedication to independence and objectivity and our defense of the rule of law — those fundamental aspects of who we are must never change. That’s the real strength of the FBI — the importance of our mission, the quality of our people and their dedication to service over self. 

‘It’s an unshakeable foundation that’s stood the test of time and cannot be easily moved. And it — you, the men and women of the FBI — are why the bureau will endure and remain successful long into the future.’ 

Wray is seven years into his 10-year term.

The Republican lawyer in D.C. was hired by President Trump in 2017 after Trump fired former Director James Comey.

Since being re-elected to a second term in the Oval Office, Trump has nominated Kash Patel to succeed Wray, giving the current director the option to leave on his own or be fired.

While Wray’s last day is still undecided, it is expected to be in January before Trump’s inauguration.

The moment Wray leaves, Deputy Director Paul Abbate will become acting director until a new director — Patel if confirmed — is in place. Abbate is a career official who is eligible to retire from the bureau soon. He planned months ago to retire in the new year. 

– More than 30 House Republicans who are military veterans are expressing their ‘strong support’ for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s nominee for Defense Secretary.

In a letter to Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the incoming Senate majority leader, and Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, the current majority leader, the House GOP lawmakers ‘call on the Senate to honor its constitutional duty of advice and consent by conducting a fair, thorough confirmation process.’

The letter, shared first with Fox News on Wednesday, was written by Rep. August Pfluger of Texas. He urges that senators evaluate Hegseth’s nomination ‘solely on its substantive merits— his distinguished military service, academic credentials, and a bold vision for revitalizing our national defense.’

Hegseth, an Army National Guard officer who deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and who until last month was a longtime Fox News host, has been the focus of a slew of reports spotlighting a series of drinking and sexual misconduct allegations, as well as a report alleging he mismanaged a veterans nonprofit organization that he once led.

Trump’s defense secretary nominee has denied allegations that he mistreated women but did reach a financial settlement with an accuser from a 2017 incident to avoid a lawsuit. He has vowed that he won’t drink ‘a drop of alcohol’ if confirmed as defense secretary.

While Hegseth’s confirmation is still far from a sure bet, a very public pronouncement of support from Trump late last week, behind-the-scenes efforts by Vice President-elect Sen. JD Vance to persuade his GOP Senate colleagues to support the nominee, and Hegseth’s own determination, seem to have resuscitated a nomination that appeared to be teetering last week.

Pfluger, in the letter, emphasizes that Hegseth’s ‘ability to communicate across institutional landscapes—with military leadership, congressional representatives, and frontline troops—will set him apart. His media expertise and transparent communication style will be crucial in executing a clear vision that cuts through bureaucratic inertia.’

‘Mr. Hegseth represents the strategic reset our defense infrastructure requires: an unorthodox yet qualified leader who can streamline the defense bureaucracy, accelerate modernization, and ensure America remains the world’s most formidable military power,’ Pfluger argues.

Pfluger, an Air Force Academy graduate who served as a pilot on active duty for two decades and flew combat missions in Iraq and Syria. He later served on the National Security Council during Trump’s first term in office before winning election in 2020 to the House in Texas’ 11th Congressional District.

The letter is co-signed by Rep. Michael Waltz of Florida – Trump’s pick to serve as his national security adviser in his second administration. Waltz, a colonel in the National Guard, received four Bronze Stars while serving in the Special Forces during multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa. In 2018, he became the first ‘Green Beret’ elected to Congress.

The fellow veterans putting their signatures on the letter are – in alphabetical order – Republican Reps. Mike Bost of Illinois, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Elijah Crane of Arizona, Jake Ellzey of Texas, Scott Fitzgerald of Wisconsin, Scott Franklin of Florida, Mark Green of Tennessee, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Wesley Hunt of Texas, Ronny Jackson of Texas, Trent Kelly of Mississippi, Nick LaLota of New York, Barry Loudermilk of Georgia, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, Morgan Luttrell of Texas, Brian Mast of Florida, Richard McCormick of Georgia, Max Miller of Ohio, Cory Mills of Florida, Barry Moore of Alabama, Troy Nehls of Texas, Zach Nunn of Iowa, Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania, Keith Self of Texas, Greg Steube of Florida, William Timmons of South Carolina, Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin, Brandon Williams of New York, Ryan Zinke of Montana, and Dan Crenshaw of Texas.

President Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter after previously vowing he would not give his son a pass has the approval of only 20% of Americans, according to a new poll released Wednesday.

The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found about half of adults disapprove of the pardon, which came after Hunter was convicted on felony gun and tax charges. 

About 18% of adults neither approved nor disapproved of the decision, while 8% said they didn’t know enough to say one way or the other, according to the poll.

While Democrats were more likely to approve of the pardon than Republicans and Independents, the poll showed just 38% of Democrats approve compared to 27% who said they disapproved of the about-face.

About 80% of Republicans and 51% of Independents disapproved of the pardon, according to the poll. 

Biden issued a sweeping pardon for Hunter on Dec. 1 after he stated on record multiple times that he would not pardon him should a jury convict his son.

The first son had been convicted in two separate federal cases earlier this year. He pleaded guilty to federal tax charges in September, and was convicted of three felony gun charges in June after lying on a mandatory gun purchase form by saying he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs. 

The president argued in a statement that Hunter was ‘singled out only because he is my son’ and that there was an effort to ‘break Hunter’ in order to ‘break me.’

Reporters grilled White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre a day after the pardon, asking whether Biden and his surrogates lied to the American people. Jean-Pierre responded, ‘One thing the president believes is to always be truthful with the American people,’ and repeatedly pointed to Biden’s own statement on the matter.

Fox News Digital’s Alexander Hall contributed to this report.