Politics & Government

Biden Tells Colbert He Has 'Great Confidence' In His Son Amid Investigation

By Reese Oxner

Published December 18, 2020 at 12:51 AM CST

Joe Biden speaks about economic recovery during a campaign event at Colonial Early Education Program at the Colwyck Center in July. In an interview with Stephen Colbert, the president-elect defended his son Hunter, whose tax affairs are under investigation.

Updated at 8:30 a.m. ET

President-elect Joe Biden told Stephen Colbert he is "not concerned" about accusations against his son Hunter Biden amid the investigation by federal prosecutors into his son's tax affairs.

Colbert asked Biden about people in Washington who "are going to try to use your adult son as a cudgel against you," during The Late Show With Stephen Colbert that aired Thursday night.

"We have great confidence in our son," said Biden, who appeared alongside his wife, Jill Biden. "I am not concerned about any accusations that have been made against him. It's used to get to me. I think it's kind of foul play, but look, it is what it is."

Colbert asked Biden if he'd be able to work with Republicans who use the issue as political ammunition: "In terms of your job as president, can you reach across the aisle to people who'll be using this as an attack on you when it is such a personal attack because it's about family?"

Biden answered: "If it benefits the country, yes. I really mean it."

Critics of Biden have often used Biden's son as fodder against his campaign. Hunter Biden, 50, revealed last week he is under a federal investigation over his taxes.

"I take this matter very seriously," the president-elect's son said in a statement. "But I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately."

During the interview, the president-elect also addressed the coronavirus pandemic and said he believed that by next Christmas the situation in the U.S. will be back to normal or "awfully close."

During the show, Jill Biden directly addressed a recent op-ed that targeted her doctorate and use of the prefix "Dr." in her name.

The op-ed, published by The Wall Street Journal and written by former magazine editor Joseph Epstein, was decried as misogynistic by many for its tone and content.

"That was such a surprise," Jill Biden told Colbert, remarking on the biting tone of the piece. "You know, he called me 'kiddo.' One of the things that I'm most proud of is my doctorate. I mean, I worked so hard for it."

Corrected: December 17, 2020 at 11:00 PM CST

A previous version of this story stated that President-elect Joe Biden said he thinks the federal investigation into his son Hunter is "foul play." Actually, Biden was referring to accusations against Hunter as "kind of foul play."