Ex-Wife, Ex-Girlfriend Testify to Hunter Biden's Drug Use During Trial

Jurors in Hunter Biden’s trial heard testimony from two of his former partners on Wednesday.

For Context: Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, is currently on trial facing charges of lying about his illegal drug use when purchasing a handgun in 2018, a felony, and illegal possession of the firearm. Biden, aged 54, bought the handgun in October 2018. Prosecutors have shared extracts from Biden's memoir, “Beautiful Things,” that detail his fall into drug addiction with crack cocaine. Biden's lawyer maintains that he was not using drugs at the time of purchasing the gun.

Details: On Wednesday, prosecutors sought to illustrate the extent of Biden’s drug use during the period of time he purchased the firearm. The jury heard testimony from Zoe Kestan, a former girlfriend of Biden. The two met in 2018, when Biden was still an active drug user. According to the New York Times (Lean Left bias), Kestan’s testimony “reaffirmed the portrait of a tortured addict reeling from family tragedy and burdens of living up to his famous family name.” Biden’s ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle, also testified on Wednesday, revealing that she found drugs in Biden’s car on multiple occasions but never saw him taking drugs. 

How the Media Covered It: Coverage from the New York Times struck a more sympathetic tone regarding Biden’s struggle with addiction, while coverage from the Washington Times (Lean Right bias) was more neutral, offering more specific details regarding anecdotes of Biden’s drug use revealed during testimony. This summary was developed with the help of AllSides' AI technology.