Hunter Biden Says Merrick Garland Was His Father’s Biggest Mistake

Overview

• Hunter Biden made the comments on the “I’ve Had It” podcast, calling Merrick Garland the “single greatest mistake” of Joe Biden’s administration and criticizing his leadership.
• He faulted the Garland Justice Department for not prosecuting President Donald Trump over the Jan. 6, 2021, attack and described the riot as a planned effort that deserved a fuller criminal probe.
• The podcast host, Jennifer Welch, echoed that critique and framed Garland as a moderate pick chosen to appeal to Republicans after a failed Supreme Court nomination by Barack Obama.
• No new Justice Department actions or legal developments followed the interview; Garland previously appointed special counsel Jack Smith in 2022 and named David Weiss special counsel in 2023, and Hunter Biden was pardoned by President Joe Biden for federal acts through Dec. 1, 2024.
• Right-leaning outlets amplified the interview over the weekend, and the remarks are likely to intensify partisan debate about DOJ independence and could be used to press for oversight or political narratives about prosecutorial choices.