Hunter Biden has sharply criticised his father’s presidency, describing aspects of it as an “obvious f***ing failure” during a lengthy interview on The Shawn Ryan Show aired on Monday, December 22.
In the five-and-a-half-hour sit-down, Hunter Biden took aim at Joe Biden’s handling of immigration policy and the 2021 withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.;
On immigration, Hunter said the country needs a system that welcomes newcomers but criticised illegal immigration, arguing it places strain on public resources and sidelines military veterans and others still recovering from decades of war.
Turning to foreign policy, he said the decision to leave Afghanistan was correct in principle but condemned the execution of the withdrawal, calling it an “obvious f***ing failure.” He added that while blame could be shared with military leaders and advisers, ultimate responsibility rested with the president.
Hunter stressed that his father understood that accountability, saying: “The buck stops with him.”
Despite the criticism, Hunter acknowledged that ending the war in Afghanistan was the right call, even if he strongly disagreed with how it unfolded.
Elsewhere in the interview, Hunter praised his father for supporting a bipartisan border deal, claiming it was later derailed after Donald Trump allegedly pressured Republicans ahead of the 2024 election to oppose it.
Hunter also reflected on his own troubled past, including struggles with addiction and legal issues, noting that his father stood by him following his 2024 gun trial conviction. At the time, President Biden publicly emphasised his role not just as president, but as a father, expressing pride in his son’s recovery and resilience.
The unusually candid remarks have sparked debate, with observers describing Hunter’s comments as one of the most direct public critiques yet of Joe Biden’s presidency from within his own family.