Biden acknowledges son's child with woman who isn't his wife
United States (US) President Joe Biden has, for the first time, publicly acknowledged the existence of his seventh grandchild, Navy Joan Roberts, the daughter of his son Hunter Biden and Lunden Roberts, a woman from Arkansas who filed a paternity suit in May 2019 against the president's son. Biden also reportedly stated he only wants "what is best" for Hunter's children, including Navy.
Why does this story matter?
The statement from the US president comes during a time when he has been facing increasing criticism from his political opponents and critics for not acknowledging Navy as one of his grandkids. During a "take your child to work" event at the White House in April this year, Biden reportedly said, "I have six grandchildren... And I speak to them every single day."
Hunter, Roberts working together: Biden
In a statement to People magazine on Friday, Biden said, "Our son Hunter and Navy's mother, Lunden, are working together to foster a relationship that is in the best interests of their daughter, preserving her privacy as much as possible going forward." Hunter's paternity was recently established by DNA testing after Roberts sued him for child support, and the two eventually resolved the issue.
This is not political issue, says US president
"This is not a political issue; it's a family matter," the US president stated. "Jill and I only want what is best for all of our grandchildren, including Navy," he added. What's more interesting is that Biden reportedly did not clarify if he intends to welcome his seventh granddaughter to the White House or meet her at some point.
When and how Hunter met Roberts
As per Associated Press (AP), the US president's son wrote in his 2021 memoir about his encounter with Roberts while revealing about his deep addiction to alcohol and crack cocaine at the time. "I had no recollection of our encounter. That's how little connection I had with anyone," Hunter wrote. "I was a mess, but a mess I've taken responsibility for," he added.
Know about significant role of Biden's grandkids in presidency
It's worth noting that Biden's grandkids have played a distinctive role in his presidency and often accompanied him or First Lady Jill on trips and made visits to the White House on a regular basis. Furthermore, the US president has also credited his grandkids with persuading him to challenge former President Donald Trump in 2020 for the Oval Office.
