Hunter Biden Calls Merrick Garland Appointment His Father’s ‘Greatest Mistake’ In Office

Hunter Biden said his father’s decision to appoint Merrick Garland as attorney general was the “single greatest mistake” of the Biden administration, blaming the former Justice Department leader for failing to move aggressively enough against President Donald Trump.

The former president’s son made the remarks during an appearance on the “I’ve Had It” podcast, where host Jennifer Welch criticized Garland’s Justice Department for prosecuting Hunter while failing to successfully take down Trump.

Hunter said responsibility ultimately rested with his father because Joe Biden selected Garland for the powerful position. However, he argued that the former president maintained a strict separation between the White House and the Justice Department after Garland took office.

According to Hunter, his father followed constitutional traditions and refused to involve himself in decisions made by federal prosecutors. He claimed that approach gave Garland complete control over the department and allowed the attorney general’s cautious leadership to shape the administration’s legal strategy.

Hunter specifically attacked Garland for not launching a faster investigation into President Trump following the January 6 Capitol riot. He alleged that Trump and members of his administration had participated in a planned effort to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election.

The younger Biden questioned how Garland could have watched the events at the Capitol without immediately beginning what he described as a legitimate and sweeping investigation. He accused Garland of being overly concerned about inflaming political tensions instead of moving against Trump.

Welch and Hunter also described Garland as a moderate who had been selected partly to appeal to Republicans. They suggested Joe Biden wanted to repair Garland’s career after the Republican-controlled Senate refused to consider his 2016 nomination to the Supreme Court.

Hunter agreed with Welch’s assessment that his father had attempted to play what she called “integrity politics” by making Garland attorney general. He repeatedly described the appointment as a massive mistake that helped create the political circumstances Democrats now face.

Hunter Biden had been under federal investigation since 2018 and was later convicted on gun charges and pleaded guilty to federal tax charges. Before leaving office, Joe Biden issued his son a sweeping pardon covering potential federal offenses committed between January 2014 and December 2024.