Art dealer George Bergès detailed terms of Hunter Biden deals to House committees

WASHINGTON — Hunter Biden insisted on knowing the identities of who was buying his art when he began selling his work, an “unusual” directive that was later retracted, his gallery director told House investigators, according to a transcript of the interview reviewed by NBC News.

Hunter Biden was the only artist represented by George Bergès to make that demand, Bergès testified to the House Oversight and Judiciary committees before the stipulation was rolled back in September 2021 after months of public scrutiny. His testimony came as part of House Republicans’ inquiry into President Joe Biden.

Bergès said there was never any conversation with his buyers about political favors from the president or the White House.

The timeline for the shift raises questions about the Biden White House’s statements about ethics safeguards surrounding the sales, which had attracted the attention of art world insiders and good governance experts. It also counters statements by the White House that Hunter Biden does not know the identities of his collectors.

Bergès said he was “surprised” by a report in the summer of 2021 claiming that “White House officials [had] helped craft an agreement” that would create a firewall between Hunter Biden and his buyers, having never spoken to the White House.

Joe Biden’s press secretary at the time, Jen Psaki, described a “system” that would allow Hunter Biden to sell his work “within reasonable safeguards,” telling reporters, “He will not know, we will not know who purchases his art.” Psaki, now the host of "Inside with Jen Psaki" on MSNBC, later clarified that it was not the White House itself that helped create the arrangement.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The