WASHINGTON — President Biden saluted onlookers Sunday night from the top steps of Air Force One while making his first public appearance since pardoning his son Hunter.
Biden, 82, made the patriotic gesture after walking up the the short steps to the presidential jet as he departed for an official trip to Angola.
The retiring commander in chief also flashed a thumbs up and blew a kiss — to whom it was unclear — as he ignored shouted journalist questions about the unprecedented clemency grant.
Biden defiantly claimed in a statement more than two hours prior that Hunter, 54, was “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.”
Joe Biden was the subject of a House impeachment inquiry due to his own recurring role in Hunter’s foreign business relationships, including in Ukraine and with two Chinese state-linked companies.
The pardon was controversial immediately — with fellow Democrats saying the decision undermined Biden’s insistence that Americans should respect the legal system.
“This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation. When you become President, your role is Pater familias of the nation,” said Gov. Jared Polis (D-Colo.).
“Hunter brought the legal trouble he faced on himself, and one can sympathize with his struggles while also acknowledging that no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son.”
