A controversial U-turn from the outgoing president

This comes after the Biden administration promised to not pardon his son for the federal charges he is facing.

In June of this year, Hunter Biden was convicted for three felonies relating to buying a gun in 2018, after prosecutors argued that he had lied on his paperwork claiming he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs.

Furthermore, the president's son also pleaded guilty to not paying $1.4 million (£1.1 million) in taxes, claiming he pleaded guilty to cover up any further family embarrassment caused from the first case.

The gun charge carried a max sentence of 25 years incarceration while the tax charges 17 years.

This said, these are merely guidelines and any actual sentencing would likely be much shorter, or even spared Hunter Biden of prison.

The 54-year-old was scheduled to be sentenced for his conviction on federal gun charges on 12 December.

He was scheduled to be sentenced in the tax case four days later.

Joe Biden going back on his commitment to not pardon his son has caused a great controversy with many accusing the president of abusing his power.

Biden said that he changed his mind and granted his son a 'full and unconditional' pardon, arguing that the prosecution had been a "miscarriage of justice" and politically motivated.

He said: “The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election.

"No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son."

"I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision."

Hunter Biden said in a statement: "I have admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction, mistakes that have been exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport."

Upon the news of Hunter Biden's pardon, incoming president Donald Trump took the time to release a statement, making reference to the people who were imprisoned during the attempted insurrection on 6 January, 2021 and claiming it was "an abuse and miscarriage of justice".

Trump said: "Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!"

Trump was no stranger to a pardon, issuing plenty upon his exit from the White House.

The incoming president will take office on 20 January 2025.