Jill Biden Says She’d Tell Son Hunter Biden to ‘Run’ If He Wanted to Become President
Jill Biden Says She’d Tell Son Hunter Biden to ‘Run’ If He Wanted to Become President
Paloma ChavezWed, August 19, 2026 at 4:33 PM UTC
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Former first lady Dr. Jill Biden and her Hunter BidenCredit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty -
Jill Biden says she would support son Hunter Biden if he chose to run for president
She is praising Hunter’s openness about his addiction recovery and says it’s helping break stigmas around discussing addiction
“Hunter’s gotta find his own path,” Jill says in an upcoming episode of The Jamie Kern Lima Show that PEOPLE got a first look at
Former first lady Dr. Jill Biden is continuing to share her thoughts on the new spotlight surrounding son Hunter Biden and whether he might follow in his father’s footsteps and run for president.
In an upcoming episode of The Jamie Kern Lima Show, which will drop on Thursday, Aug. 20, the 75-year-old former first lady is asked whether she would encourage her 56-year-old son to pursue the presidency if he showed an interest.
“What would you tell him?” podcast host Jamie Kern Lima, 49, asks Jill in a first look of the conversation obtained by PEOPLE. “What would President Biden tell him?”
“You know, I do have a funny answer for that,” the former first lady responds with a chuckle. “I would say, ‘Run.’ But then you take that how you want to.”
“Right,” Lima replies in the clip, before Jill elaborates on her approach to supporting her children and grandchildren in whatever paths they choose.
“Hunter’s gotta find his own path, and whatever he decides to do … I feel this is true his whole life, I feel it from all our kids, whatever they decide to do, our grandkids, our kids, we’ll support them,” Jill adds.
“We will support them 100%, and I felt that same way about Joe. A lot of times when he thought about running for president and it was kind of unreal and daunting, I thought, ‘I believe in you and I will support you.’ And that’s how I feel about all my kids and grandkids,” she continued.
Jill’s comments about Hunter’s potential political future come after she spoke about his growing online presence in an earlier episode of The Jamie Kern Lima Show.
In the first episode of her two-part conversation with Lima, which aired Monday, Aug. 17, Jill said she and Joe, 83, were “so proud” of Hunter for openly discussing his addiction and recovery online.
“He can be so honest and say things other people won’t say, and feel comfortable with it because he’s been through it,” she told Lima.
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Dr. Jill Biden on “The Jamie Kern Lima Show” on Monday, Aug. 17Credit: Courtesy of The Jamie Kern Lima Show
“I do believe a lot of times that good things come from bad things, and I think now is Hunter’s time to shine,” Jill continued. “You know, he’s doing really good things.”
“Something good’s happening,” Jill continued, referencing Hunter’s viral, candid videos about his sobriety. “Well, for so long it was taboo, you didn’t talk about it. People just would never, ever say, ‘You know, my child is an addict,’ I couldn’t say it.”
Dr. Jill Biden and her son Hunter Biden in 2013Credit: Paul Morigi/WireImage
Jill also reflected on one of the most difficult moments she experienced as Hunter faced legal proceedings over his criminal charges.
“I don’t know, but as parents, one of the toughest things I had to do was when Hunter was taken to court, and they played his book on tape in the courtroom, to hear him tell his story in his own words. It was so heartbreaking,” Jill said.
In recent months, Hunter has continued to open up about his past addiction to crack cocaine through a series of online posts. In one June 29 video, he offered a candid perspective on his sobriety.
“I’m grateful that I was a crack addict,” Hunter said in the video, while seated and speaking directly to the camera. “And I don’t say that with even the slightest bit of irony or bulls---.”
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Hunter’s struggles with addiction became part of the public record during his 2024 legal proceedings. In June of that year, he was found guilty on federal gun and tax charges, while details about his years of drug use and time spent with sex workers were also made public during the proceedings.
Several months later, in December 2024, Joe pardoned his son before leaving the White House.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
