Hunter Biden to go on trial on gun charges

President Biden's son Hunter Biden goes on trial this week on federal gun charges for allegedly lying about his illegal drug use when he bought a Colt revolver in the fall of 2018.

The trial, which opens Monday in federal court in Delaware with jury selection, is the first of two cases brought by Justice Department special counsel David Weiss against the president’s son. The second prosecution is on tax charges and is scheduled to go to trial in September in California.

Hunter Biden faces three counts in the gun case: two false statements for allegedly lying about his drug use when purchasing a firearm, and one for the unlawful possession of a gun by a drug user or addict. He has pleaded not guilty.

The trial is the latest courtroom drama of this election year to hold potential political implications for the 2024 presidential race.

Although Hunter Biden is not running for public office, Republicans have long sought to use his legal troubles and foreign business dealings to try to damage his father politically. The trial provides a fresh opportunity to do so.

It comes just days after his father’s opponent in the 2024 election, former President Donald Trump, was found guilty by a New York jury of falsifying business records of hush money payments made to an adult film star.

In a statement Monday, President Biden said that while he is the president, he's "also a dad."

"Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today. Hunter’s resilience in the face of adversity and the strength he has brought to his recovery are inspiring to us," he said.

The gun case is rooted in a difficult period in Hunter Biden’s life when he was reeling after the death of his brother, Beau, and was addicted to crack cocaine and