President Joe Biden just made history — the bad kind — with Sunday night’s sweeping Thanksgiving-weekend pardon of his own son, Hunter Biden. (Talk about trying to bury a story.) The outgoing president made this all way harder than it needed to be on himself, his son, and the justice system.

The pardon comes after Biden repeatedly said he would not use his executive authority to pardon his son or commute his son’s sentence. And in his statement, Biden said he was granting the pardon because his son had been “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.”

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said on Sunday he had pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, reversing his earlier pledge to leave the legal proceedings entirely up to the judicial system. Hunter Biden had pleaded guilty to tax violations and was convicted on firearms-related charges and faced upcoming sentencing.

Below is a look at the circumstances leading up to the pardon and its legal consequences. WHAT DID THE PARDON COVER? Hunter Biden was pardoned for

Joe Biden’s strong tie to his family is at the core of his being, his role as a father the most important to him—greater than any political fallout.

Biden won the White House after saying a laptop that contained evidence of corruption in the Biden family was part of a “Russian plan” in 2020. Now, as one of his final acts as president, he is pardoning the son,

The president said he issued a pardon because his son was being unfairly targeted for political purposes. Here’s what to know about the pardon, the crimes and the reactions.

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., joined in criticizing President Joe Biden Monday for his decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden. Tuberville said it was Biden’s reversal on his promise, not the pardon, that bothered him.

In a social media post, the Michigan Democrat said the president and his family "shouldn't get special treatment."

It’s not just Hunter Biden – presidents as far back as George Washington have faced criticism for their presidential pardons.