Jury selection began on Monday in the federal gun case against the president’s son, Hunter Biden.
The legal proceedings seriously complicate Joe Biden’s re-election campaign while handing political grist to Republicans searching for a distracting issue in the wake of Donald Trump’s 34-count conviction last week.
In a show of support, Jill Biden, the first lady, also arrived at the federal courthouse in Delaware where her stepson is facing trial.
In a statement, the president said that as a father, he has “boundless love for my son, confidence in him, and respect for his strength”.
Prosecutors allege that Hunter Biden lied about his drug use on application forms when he purchased a handgun in 2018, while in the throes of addiction.
In theory, he could face a hefty jail sentence, but it is widely seen as highly unlikely.
“I am the President, but I am also a Dad,” Biden said, noting that he would not comment further on the case.
The president’s youngest and only surviving son, Hunter, has long struggled with drug addiction and a troubled private life, which is now at the center of the federal case.
“Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today,” Biden wrote. “Hunter’s resilience in the face of adversity and the strength he has brought to his recovery are inspiring to us.”
The president’s son has acknowledged being addicted to crack cocaine during that period in 2018, but his lawyers have said he didn’t break the law.
In his memoir, Beautiful Things, he described becoming consumed by drugs and alcohol after his older brother, Beau, died in 2015 at age 46 from brain cancer.
The brothers were very close, having survived a car crash when they were young that killed their mother and baby sister.
