Hunter Biden penned an emotional tribute to his father on Sunday, saying that “unconditional love” has served as Joe Biden’s “North Star” during his time as president, following the stunning announcement on Sunday that he has put an end to his re-election campaign.
“He is unique in public life today, in that there is no distance between Joe Biden the man and Joe Biden the public servant of the last 54 years,” he wrote as tributes began to pour in for the president.
First lady Jill Biden and the president’s granddaughter Naomi were among the other Biden family members who spoke out in support of the president’s momentous decision, which comes after plummeting poll numbers and weeks of mounting pressure from prominent Democratic lawmakers and donors.
In a statement posted to X, Biden said it had been “the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president,” but that stepping down was in “the best interest of my party and the country.”
Hunter Biden — who received the president’s unwavering support throughout his recent criminal trial, where he was found guilty of three felony gun charges — praised the empathy his father has shown towards “countless everday Americans.”
“For my entire life, I’ve looked at my dad in awe. How could he suffer so much heartache and yet give so much of whatever remained of his heart to others?” Hunter said in a statement.
“Not only in the policies he passed, but in the individual lives he’s touched. Over a life time I have witnessed him absorb the pain of countless everyday Americans who he’s given his personal phone number to, because he wanted them to call him when they were hurting. When their last hopes were slipping through their hands.”
“I’m so lucky every night I get to tell him I love him, and to thank him,” Hunter continued. “I ask all Americans to join me tonight in doing the same. Thank you, Mr. President. I love you, Dad.”
Naomi Biden, 30, the eldest daughter of Hunter and Kathleen Buhle, described her grandfather as “the most effective president of our lifetime.”
“I’m nothing but proud today of my Pop, our President, Joe Biden, who has served our country with every bit of his soul and with unmatched distinction,” she wrote on X.
“Not only has he been—and will continue to be—the most effective president of our lifetime, but he has likely already cemented himself as the most effective and impactful public servant in our nation’s history.
“He has been at the center of, and had a material impact on, literally every single major issue that our country and world has faced for 50 years. Our world is better today in so many ways thanks to him. To the Americans who have always had his back, keep the faith. He will always have ours.”
Posting from her own account, Jill Biden simply shared her husband’s statement with a heart emoji.
The first lady has been a constant source of support for Biden, especially in the wake of his disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump on June 27, where he appeared frail and at times incoherent, leading to a deluge of calls for him step aside in the upcoming presidential election.
In the minutes after the debate, Biden took to the stage to commend him for “answering every question.” And for weeks, sources close to the family told media outlets that he had no plans to pull out of the race despite the pressure, saying the first lady was still “all in” on the campaign.
Both Jill and Hunter Biden were reportedly among the most vocal family members urging him not to call it quits.
“The family is scared. These advisers are incredibly loyal and doing their jobs,” a senior Democrat told NBC News at the time.
Another source told the Associated Press: “The entire family is united. You get up and keep fighting.”
Eyebrows were raised, however, following reports that Hunter Biden had attended several official meetings with his father and senior White House aides in the days following the debate. Axios reported that Hunter had seemingly become a liaison between his father and the outside world — a barrier deciding who was permitted to speak to the president.
On Sunday, the president’s youngest brother, Frank Biden, told ABC News that his brother’s decision to step out of the race “boils down” to his “overall health and vitality” but also “beating this genuine threat to our nation in the form of Donald Trump.”
The strength of the Biden family ties was reflected in a statement from Kamala Harris, in which she accepted the president’s endorsement and recalled her friendship with his late son, Beau Biden — who died in 2015.
“It is a profound honor to serve as his Vice President, and I am deeply grateful to the President, Dr. Biden, and the entire Biden family,” Harris said.
“I first came to know President Biden through his son Beau. We were friends from our days working together as Attorneys General of our home states. As we worked together, Beau would tell me stories about his Dad. The kind of father—and the kind of man—he was.
“And the qualities Beau revered in his father are the same qualities, the same values, I have seen every single day in Joe’s leadership as President: His honesty and integrity. His big heart and commitment to his faith and his family.”