Hunter Biden claims his father was blackmailed into supporting Israel's war
The president's son says his father was forced to back Israel, despite decades of public support for the nation.
It is hard to know what is true when family members start pointing fingers at outside forces. We are left to wonder if a leader is truly in control or if they are being pushed by shadows.
What happened
Hunter Biden recently told commentator Candace Owens that his father, former President Joe Biden, was blackmailed by Zionists. He claims these groups forced his father to allow the war in Gaza to continue. This comes as a surprise, given that Joe Biden has long called himself a Zionist.
Records show the U.S. sent at least $17.9 billion in weapons to Israel during the conflict. This includes thousands of bombs, missiles, and artillery shells. The administration also sent a THAAD missile defense system and U.S. military personnel to the region.
Critics point to a report in The Lancet that suggests the death toll in Gaza could be as high as 186,000 people. Groups like DAWN have filed documents with the International Criminal Court. They accuse top U.S. officials of being involved in war crimes by providing this military support.
What the money/evidence shows
- $17.9 billion in total weapons transfers to Israel.
- 14,000 MK-84 2,000-pound bombs sent by June 2024.
- 3,000 Hellfire precision-guided missiles provided.
- 1,000 bunker-buster bombs included in shipments.
- 172-page document submitted to the ICC accusing U.S. leaders of war crimes.
The bigger question
Why would a president who has spent his entire career supporting Israel suddenly be described as a victim of blackmail? Joe Biden has been a vocal supporter of Israel since his time as a senator in 1973. He once said he would ensure Israel gets whatever weapons it needs.
We should ask if this new claim is an attempt to rewrite history. Is it a way to distance the former president from the results of his own policies? Or is there a hidden side to the U.S.-Israel relationship that the public has never been told?
The other side
Supporters of the former administration argue that the U.S. has a long-standing duty to protect its allies. They maintain that providing weapons is a standard part of foreign policy and that the president acted in the best interest of national security. This argument relies on the idea that the U.S. must maintain its influence in the Middle East at all costs.
What happens now
These claims add more heat to an already tense debate about U.S. involvement in foreign wars. Regular people are left to decide if their government is acting on its own values or under pressure from outside groups. This will likely lead to more calls for transparency regarding how weapons are sent without congressional review.
What we still don't know
- What specific evidence, if any, does Hunter Biden have to support the claim of blackmail?
- Did the Biden administration ignore internal warnings about how these weapons were being used?
- Will the International Criminal Court take formal action against the U.S. officials named in the filings?