Hunter Biden Is a Thorny Problem for Democrats

Long before Joe Biden became president, conservatives had identified a potential liability in his family tree: Hunter. With a history of drug addiction, prolific sexual exploits, and questionable international business dealings, Biden’s one living son looked to right-wing media outlets like an easy target.

During the Trump presidency, eager to distract from Donald Trump’s own financial and sexual misdeeds—and the president’s habit of handing out favors to friends and his own children—conservatives committed themselves to uncovering any dirt they could find on the former vice president’s son. They cooked up conspiracy theories, accused Hunter of engaging in “deep state”–style corruption with his father, and published nude photos and text conversations gleaned from one of Hunter’s old laptops.