Former President Joe Biden‘s son, Hunter Biden, told the former president that he would love to have him back, according to an excerpt from a new book, as the former president weighed his political future after his June 2024 debate.
“Hunter called in from Los Angeles and made clear that he supported whatever decision his father made. But he told him, ‘I sure would love having you back.’ What Hunter meant was that being president took up all his father’s time. He often told people that he had more of an interest in his father abandoning his campaign than anyone,” the book excerpt, published by The Wall Street Journal, read.
Biden exited the 2024 race after a disastrous debate performance in June.
According to the excerpt, Hunter Biden watched the debate from his home in Los Angeles and reacted to his father’s stumbles with, “What the f—?”
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“He had never seen his father so out of it, and worried about his well-being. A few days later, when Hunter arrived at Camp David for a visit, he told his father, ‘I love you’ and ‘Get some sleep,'” the WSJ excerpt read.
The new book, “2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America,” written by Jason Dawsey, Tyler Pager and Isaac Arnsdorf, is set to be released on July 8.
The Wall Street Journal’s excerpt also detailed a call the president had with his aides after the Supreme Court issued a ruling on July 1, 2024, that found presidents have substantial immunity for official acts, but not for unofficial acts.
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The former president believed the ruling was substantial and wanted to respond.
Former chief of staff Jeff Zients convened Biden’s aides on a call to discuss how the former president would respond, according to the excerpt.
“Suddenly an unidentified voice piped up from Biden’s screen and recommended an Oval Office address. At first, some aides had no idea who was speaking. It soon became clear the voice belonged to Hunter Biden, who the White House staff had not known was on the call,” the WSJ’s excerpt read.
White House Counsel Ed Siskel had concerns about Biden speaking from the Oval Office, but Hunter Biden jumped in and argued his father had every right to use the room’s “powerful imagery” to issue his response.
“Siskel told colleagues Hunter’s presence was inappropriate,” the excerpt continued.
