Will Joe Biden exercise presidential pardon for Hunter Biden?

As US President’s son Hunter Biden is facing charges related to taxes and guns, the White House cleared the air Thursday that Joe Biden will not be pardoning his son, a day after the 53-year-old pleaded not guilty in a Wilmington, Delaware.

While giving a press briefing, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked if Joe Biden would offer a presidential pardon to his son. She replied: "No".

Hunter Wednesday pleaded not guilty to the two tax charges as he was anticipated to plead guilty under the deal he closed with the federal prosecutors.

According to Republicans, Hunter Biden’s business ties and problems are reaching a point where it is inferred that President Biden is corrupt and should be impeached.

The presidential pardon is a part of Article 2 of the US Constitution which suggests the president "shall have the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment."

Presidents in the past such as Bill Clinton and Donald Trump used this power which has been controversial as the pardons were bestowed to the donors and supporters.

It has been said that Donald Trump could have exercised a presidential pardon for himself as he was facing issues such as election interference in 2016.

Trump also gave thought about bestowing pre-emptive pardons to his family.

The 77-year-old former US President has been indicted two times in cases relating to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels and alleged mishandling of classified documents after leaving the Oval Office.

Donald Trump's legal team had been seeking an extension of the trial until after the presidential elections next year in November in which he is running as a Republican nominee for the second time.

The case against Trump will commence when his election campaign will be at its peak.

Trump also announced that he received a "target" letter from the DOJ on January 6 probe, while admitting that he was bothered by the jury investigations against him.

Jean-Pierre told reporters that Hunter Biden was "a private citizen", and called his legal problems "a personal matter for him".

"As we have said, the president [and] the first lady, they love their son, and they support him as he continues to rebuild his life. This case was handled independently, as all of you know, by the justice department under the leadership of a prosecutor appointed by the former president."

According to a Guardian report, Biden used the pardon sparingly, focusing largely on convictions for drug-related offenses.

While President, Trump bestowed 143 pardons and 94 commutations many of which were highly controversial including one to Steve Bannon, Roger Stone, and Paul Manafort.