The move is an about-face after the president previously vowed not to pardon his son, who was convicted on federal gun and tax charges.

President Joe Biden issued a full and unconditional pardon for his son Hunter Biden Sunday who had been facing criminal convictions in California and Delaware on gun and tax charges—which could have resulted in a prison sentence.

Some Democrats fear that Trump will use the pardon to criticize the justice system and bolster his own efforts to remake it.

In a stunning reversal, President Biden announced Sunday that he pardoned his son Hunter Biden who was convicted of gun and tax crimes.

President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son has left some Democrats fuming over his choice to repeatedly and unequivocally claim that he would never take that step, even though a pardon long appeared possible to Hunter Biden’s legal team.

President Joe Biden had long pledged that he would not pardon his son, Hunter, who was set to be sentenced this month for gun and tax convictions. But on Sunday, the president did it anyway. The sweeping pardon covers not only Hunter Biden’s convictions in two cases in Delaware and California,

Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to tax charges earlier in September. He was also found guilty of being an illegal drug user in possession of a gun in June - which made him the first child of a sitting president to be a convicted of a crime.

Biden aides and allies had been resigned to the prospect of the president using his extraordinary power in the waning days of his presidency to ensure his son wouldn’t see time behind bars, especially after Donald Trump’s win.