▲ Hunter Biden, son of former U.S. President Joe Biden
"I am Hunter Biden. You haven't heard the story directly from me."
Hunter Biden (56), the second son of former President Joe Biden, suddenly posted this message on the social media platform X on May 19.
Throughout his father's presidency and beyond, Hunter had lived in the shadows, labeled a "troublemaker" while under constant attack from President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.
Because of this, many initially found it hard to believe that the post was actually from Hunter.
However, it was confirmed to be his own post.
Since then, Hunter has been sharing a series of posts that candidly and calmly reflect on his life, which has been marked by struggles with drug addiction and various scandals.
He has not shied away from self-deprecating humor.
Regarding the 2023 incident where a bag of cocaine was found at the White House during his father's presidency, he wrote, "It was definitely not mine. I’m not the kind of person who loses his drugs."
To those suffering from drug addiction, he offered encouragement: "To those who are fighting this battle right now, I tell you, it doesn't get easier, but it gets quieter. In that quiet, you find out who you are."
Hunter's posts have resonated with many.
In just over two weeks, his follower count surged to 750,000, and thousands of letters from people who have experienced drug addiction have been sent to him, sharing their own recovery journeys.
Analysts suggest that Hunter, once known as "Biden's Achilles' heel" for being a privileged figure constantly embroiled in controversy, has gained public empathy by revealing his human side—sometimes with deep sincerity and other times with lightheartedness.
Hunter has also not hesitated to use profanity against officials in the Trump administration.
He targeted Stephen Miller, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff who is leading a hardline anti-immigration policy, calling him a "childish and ugly son of a b****."
During his father's presidency, Hunter was convicted of violating gun laws and was also indicted for tax evasion.
He also became a political burden to his father due to allegations of improper ties to a Ukrainian company.
In December 2024, toward the end of his term, Biden granted a pardon to Hunter, despite the backlash.
By pardoning all crimes committed over the 10-year period starting in 2014, Biden aimed to prevent what he viewed as "retaliatory prosecutions" by the Trump administration.
Biden argued that he could not stand by and watch his already battered son become a sacrificial lamb for President Trump and the Republican Party. However, the move drew significant criticism as it contradicted his previous public pledge not to use his pardon power for family members.
(Photo: Getty Images Korea)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.