SiriusXM’s Megyn Kelly took aim at The New York Times on Tuesday for its portrayal of President Joe Biden and Hunter Biden. Kelly criticized the outlet for trying to paint the president and his son as sympathetic figures following Biden’s announcement that he would pardon Hunter.
The NYT released a report Monday detailing the events leading up to Biden’s decision. The article framed Hunter as a “troubled son, a recovering addict, who he felt had been subjected to years of public pain.” On her show, Kelly read from the article and scoffed at the narrative.
“Millions of people have this in their family where somebody you know and love got swept up into the opioid crisis. That wasn’t Hunter’s thing,” Kelly said. “I mean, he was a crack cocaine, whatever, but my sister actually legitimately got caught up in the opioid crisis by a doctor telling her this thing was not going to be addictive, then it was.”
Kelly shared a deeply personal story about her sister, who struggled with addiction and died at age 58. “She had no advantages like this. She did not have a presidential connection, nor did my place in the public sphere or my financial resources save her,” Kelly said. “Once you have that on your record, you’re effed.”
In June, Hunter Biden faced three felony gun charges. He was accused of possessing a firearm while addicted to drugs and making false statements about it in October 2018. Kelly contrasted his situation with her sister’s, who couldn’t escape the consequences of her record.
“She couldn’t get a job even when she got clean and sober,” Kelly explained. “She had been clean for years by the time she passed. She could never get a job once it’s on your record, and they want us to feel sorry for this rich, spoiled f**king brat, Hunter Biden.”
Kelly pointed to Hunter’s life of privilege as the son of a senator, vice president, and president. “He’s had every advantage in the book and squandered them all after exploiting them to the detriment of our country with his dad’s hand guiding the ship,” she said.
“Now we’re supposed to feel sorry for these two? Well, I don’t at all,” Kelly added. “No one in the country who’s sitting in jail or whose kid is about to go to jail for a gun charge or tax evasion or drugs gives two shits about your problems.”
President Biden defended his decision to pardon Hunter in a statement. He claimed any “reasonable” person would see Hunter was “singled out” because of his family ties. “In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me,” Biden wrote. “Enough is enough.”