President Joe Biden first acknowledged his seventh grandchild on camera during an interview released Monday with British podcaster Jay Shetty.
Last Wednesday — the day Hunter Biden faced federal court in Wilmington, Delaware — the president sat down for a Q&A for an episode of Purposely with Jay Shetty.
In the interview, Biden shared childhood stories, talked about how he met both his late wife and first lady Jill Biden, and spoke more broadly about family.
“I have seven grandchildren, five of whom are old enough to make telephone calls,” the president told Shetty. “Every day I text them or call them.”
The admission of 4-year-old Navy Joan, who fathered Hunter Biden with Lunden Roberts during one of his tumultuous bouts of addiction to crack, cocaine and alcohol, came after the president referenced her in a statement to Volksmagazine Friday afternoon.
President Joe Biden said he had “seven” grandchildren in an interview for an episode of On Purpose with Jay Shetty. The Q&A took place Wednesday, the same day Hunter Biden was in court in Wilmington, Delaware, but was released on Monday
Four-year-old Marine Joan (left) with her mother Lunden Roberts (right). The president and first lady only acknowledged their seventh grandchild in a statement to People on Friday, and also in a podcast interview with Jay Shetty on Monday
“Our son Hunter and Navy mom Lunden are working together to maintain a relationship that is in their daughter’s best interests, protecting her privacy as much as possible going forward,” the president told People.
“This is not a political issue, it’s a family issue,” Biden’s statement continues. “Jill and I want only the best for all of our grandchildren, including the Navy.”
The 4-year-old’s public recognition came after New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd wrote a scorching column about this earlier this month.
“It’s seven grandchildren, Mr. President,” the headline read.
The Times had reported that White House aides had been told at strategy meetings to say publicly that the president and first lady had only six grandchildren.
Republicans on the campaign trail have also used Biden’s family drama as fodder.
On Thursday in Iowa, Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis took a swing at the president’s messy family as he spoke about how parents should be the ones making major decisions about their children’s curriculum.
The president taped his interview with Jay Shetty on Wednesday, the same day Hunter Biden (right) appeared in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware
“Wait a minute, who are you to decide that they are your children?” he said of Biden. “And first of all, this is a man who hasn’t even visited his granddaughter in Arkansas.”
On Friday, former UN Amb. Nikki Haley made a stab at the annual Republican Party of Iowa Lincoln Dinner Friday night when she discussed how easy it would be to pass one of the mental competence tests she has pitched to officeholders over age 75.
“There are no tough tests,” she said. ‘What city were you born in? How many grandchildren do you have?’
In addition to the reference to his seventh grandchild, Biden also revealed that he had not yet seen the Oppenheimer film, although he said it was available to watch at the White House cinema.
He also talked about how little TV he watches.
Shetty had asked the president which of the DC based political shows – like House of Cards, Veep, etc. – was the most realistic and which was mostly fiction.
“Mission Impossible,” Biden said with a laugh.
“One of the problems I have – and I should – is that I don’t watch much television. And it’s not because I’m above it or anything like that,” he said.
The president said he didn’t do many TV shows because he commuted so much during his time living in Wilmington, Delaware and being a US Senator.
“I’m sure there are many good things,” he said.
Shetty — who talks a lot about mental health on his podcast — also asked the president where he goes for support.
The first person that came to mind was the first lady.
“Well, my best friend is my wife,” he said, crediting her for his political success as much as his sister Valerie and brother Jim.
“I also have a great advantage, over the years I’ve developed some really great relationships with people I’ve worked with and/or are on my staff,” he continued. “That’s why I hire them, they know more than I do.”
“And for some things I seek advice from a religious perspective. But that is very personal,” the president added.
Biden also told Shetty that it was not true that he had told his first wife, Neilia, that he believed he would one day become president of the United States.
“No, that’s not true,” the president replied.
“What I told her and the same — no man deserves one great love let alone two. Real. The two women I married, one passed away, were women I knew when I first dated them, that I wanted to marry them,” he said.
He spoke of meeting Neilia on a trip to Nassau.
“I told her I would marry her,” he said, adding that she replied, “I think so.”
He said he has Dr. Biden had met on a blind date set up by his brother.
“I will never forget my brother said: you like her, she doesn’t like politics,” he said.
The president commented, “I was on that list of 10 most eligible bachelors for five years, and that’s no fun.”
He said he had met “a lot of nice people,” but things didn’t click.
But then he met Jill.
“I knew it when I saw her,” he told Shetty.