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President Biden is bringing his embattled son, Hunter Biden, with him to Camp David for the second weekend in a row, defying aides who’ve warned him of potential political fallout from being seen too often with the alleged tax cheat.
White House pool reporters spotted the 53-year-old first son on Friday climbing into the presidential SUV as it departed the White House enroute to Fort McNair, where the presidential travel party will helicopter over to Camp David in Maryland.
First lady Jill Biden and the president’s youngest grandson – Hunter’s son, Beau – were also seen joining Hunter and the president.
The 80-year-old president has no public events scheduled for this weekend.
NBC News reported on Wednesday that the president has refused to listen to political advice from his closest aides on limiting public appearances with Hunter, who has agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor charges of failing to pay taxes in 2017 and 2018 and a felony count for being a drug user in possession of a gun.
“Hands off my family,” a source described Biden’s message to aides concerning advice about Hunter, according to NBC News.
Hunter has appeared alongside his father regularly since the plea agreement with the Justice Department, joining him at Camp David just last weekend.
The first son was also a guest at the White House state dinner in honor of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week – just two days after his plea agreement became public.
Attorney General Merrick Garland was also on the guest list.
People close to the president told NBC News that the commander in chief is keeping Hunter – a recovering alcoholic and drug addict – close by over fears he may relapse.
“He’s doing this with a father who is deeply afraid, as he should be, of what happens to many people struggling with addiction, as any father of any person who has struggled with addiction would be, about relapse,” a longtime Biden associate told the news outlet.
“It’s consumed him,” a person close to the president said of Biden’s fears of losing grip of his son.
Hunter will appear before a judge in a Wilmington, Del., courtroom on July 26, where he will formally plead guilty to tax and gun charges.
The plea deal must be approved by US District Judge Maryellen Noreika, a nominee of former President Donald Trump.
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