Hunter Biden dismisses 2028 presidential run with relapse joke
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
Hunter Biden used an appearance on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" to rule out any run for the US presidency in 2028, telling host Bill Maher that an announcement from him should be taken as a sign he had relapsed into addiction. The remark, made on Friday, plays on Biden's long and publicly documented struggles with substance abuse and comes amid wider speculation across both US political parties about who might contest the next presidential election.
Biden, who marked seven years of sobriety in June, told Maher he had not considered running and joked that anyone should "check and see if I relapsed" should he ever declare a campaign. He went on to explain his frequent media appearances by saying the press had built a public platform by scrutinising him for roughly seven years, and that he now uses that visibility to reach the estimated 50 million Americans dealing with addiction, adding that helping even one person makes it worthwhile. He was propelled into the spotlight in 2020 when the New York Post published material from his personal laptop showing him using illegal drugs.
- Hunter Biden jokes he'd only run for president if he'd relapsed
- Made comment on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher"
- Cites seven years of sobriety and wish to help addicts
New here? Start with this
Hunter Biden is the son of former US President Joe Biden and has spent years dealing with, and speaking publicly about, addiction to drugs and alcohol. He became a prominent and often controversial figure during his father's presidency, in part because of a 2020 news story in which material from his personal laptop, including images of drug use, was made public.
Speculation about who might run for US president in 2028 has already started on both sides of American politics, even though the election is still some years away. Bill Maher is a well-known American television host whose HBO show often features political guests discussing current affairs.
The story matters because it touches on how Hunter Biden's personal struggles have shaped his public image, and how he now speaks openly about addiction, an issue affecting a large number of Americans, rather than pursuing political ambitions of his own.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Sympathetic observers see real value in Hunter Biden using the public platform his troubles created to speak candidly about addiction, arguing that a self-deprecating joke about relapse is a normal, even healthy way for someone in long-term recovery to talk about a disease that still touches an estimated 50 million Americans. Ruling out a 2028 run with humour rather than a stiff denial can be read as honest self-awareness about his political baggage, paired with a genuine wish to keep using his visibility to help others rather than pretending his past never happened.
The case against
Others find it distasteful that someone whose past drug use and business dealings became a major political controversy continues to court the media spotlight, arguing that jokes trading on addiction and relapse trivialise a serious illness rather than destigmatising it. From this perspective, Hunter Biden's frequent appearances keep a divisive figure in the national conversation and risk being seen as self-promotion dressed up as advocacy, reinforcing critics' view that he has not stepped back from public life as fully as they believe he should.
Coverage
- Variety — Bill Maher Puts Hunter Biden in the Hot Seat: ‘I’ve Seen You With Your Dick Out’
- Deadline — ‘Real Time’: Hunter Biden Shoots Down Presidential Bid, Jokes “Check If I Relapsed” If He Ever Announces Run
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