Hunter Biden said his sobriety is critical to helping his dad win reelection in November, and he fears a relapse could hand victory to former President Donald Trump.
In a rare interview with Axios, published Monday, President Biden’s son said, “I have something much bigger than even myself at stake. We are in the middle of a fight for the future of democracy.”
He said Republicans are using him to take down his dad, and he wants to “make it through that fight clean and sober,” adding that he feels “a responsibility” to succeed.
“Most importantly, you have to believe that you’re worth the work, or you’ll never be able to get sober. But I often do think about the profound consequences of failure here,” Hunter Biden said.
He added, “Maybe it’s the ultimate test for a recovering addict — I don’t know. I have always been in awe of people who have stayed clean and sober through tragedies and obstacles few people ever face. They are my heroes, my inspiration.”
The interview comes ahead of his deposition Wednesday in front of two House committees probing his foreign business dealings.
House Republicans are looking into allegations that Joe Biden as vice president used his position to benefit his son and enrich his family. The White House has denied the allegations.
Hunter Biden’s interview is part of a media strategy in which he has become more visible and outspoken in recent months. He made two trips to the Capitol last year, including issuing a public statement in December, requesting to testify in public instead of behind closed doors as Republicans have requested.
He later changed his mind and agreed to testify in a private deposition.