Hunter, the oldest living child of US President Joe Biden, will have his memoir published on April 6, months after Republicans and much of the Trump team desperately tried to tarnish the commander-in-chief's White House bid with the 51-year-old's troubled past.
The book's release was announced Thursday by Jennifer Bergstrom, the senior vice president and publisher of the Gallery Books Group. The memoir is expected to delve into the Delaware native's history with substance abuse, family loss and his path to sobriety.
In a brief extract released with the book announcement, Hunter writes that he comes "from a family forged by tragedies and bound by a remarkable, unbreakable love.”
Ahead of its April publication, the book was circulated among writers including Stephen King, Bill Clegg, Anne Lamott and Dave Eggers.
— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) February 4, 2021
In a statement attached to the announcement, King described Hunter's writing as proving that "anybody - even the son of a United States president - can take a ride on the pink horse down nightmare alley." He added, "Biden remembers it all and tells it all with bravery that is both heartbreaking and quite gorgeous."
Financial terms for the memoir, which was written in collaboration with author and journalist Drew Jubera, were not disclosed.
Asked about the book during a Thursday briefing, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki read a statement from the president and first lady Jill Biden to reporters. In it, the statement says the pair admires "Hunter's strength and courage to talk openly about his addiction so that others might see themselves in his journey."
Incidentally, the book begins with the question, "Where's Hunter?" a popular right-wing catchphrase that was repeatedly voiced by former US President Donald Trump in the lead up to the contested 2020 presidential election. The Trump team pushed the phrase in an attempt to suggest that if voters paid more attention to Hunter's dealings, they would likely not vote for his father.
Aside from Hunter's troubles with substance abuse, his personal life also saw him repeatedly deny that he fathered a child with an Arkansas woman, a move that saw him eventually admit to the fact under legal pressure. Amid the paternity case, Hunter later married a South African filmmaker days after meeting her. The pair later had a son - named after his brother Beau - in March 2020.
However, Hunter's business dealings eventually took the spotlight when Trump and company claimed corruption was afoot when the Biden son served on the board of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma in 2014, when Joe Biden was serving as vice president under the Obama administration. Infamously, Trump's efforts saw him attempt to pressure Ukraine into investigating the Bidens; however, the call led to Trump's first impeachment by the House of Representatives.
Shortly before the 2020 election, Trump's former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani touched on the Hunter angle again and claimed that he came into possession of a hard drive that was believed to have belonged to Hunter and was left at a computer repair shop in Delaware. The laptop reportedly contained evidence to support the accusation that Biden helped shape American foreign policy in Ukraine in order to benefit his son. The Biden team has repeatedly rejected any and all allegations surrounding quid-pro-quo deals.
Last December, Hunter confirmed that his tax affairs were under investigation by the US Justice Department. Details of the investigation remain unclear at present. It's worth noting that Trump did previously attempt to have the DoJ appoint a special counsel to investigate the matter, but then-Attorney General William Barr rejected the move.
The Thursday book announcement came weeks after Simon & Schuster revealed they would be dropping its deal with Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) after the lawmaker voiced support for the deadly Capitol riot prompted by troves of Trump supporters.
