Donald Trump has ridiculed Hunter Biden for skipping his testimony in Congress behind closed doors and instead delivering a speech on the steps of the Capitol.
The former president, 77, hit Joe Biden's son during a speech in Iowa on Wednesday night and joked that Hunter “went to the wrong place.”
He said Hunter went to the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol when he should have gone to the House chamber.
“You saw Hunter today, right?” Trump said. 'He went to the wrong place. He went to the Senate instead of the House of Representatives.'
His comments followed Hunter's five-minute statement in which he defiantly declared his father innocent of corruption charges and accused Republicans of being “shameless” for trying to oust him.
Donald Trump has ridiculed Hunter Biden for skipping his testimony in Congress behind closed doors and instead delivering a speech on the steps of the Capitol
Trump said Hunter went to the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol when he should have gone to the House chamber
Trump used his campaign speech in Iowa to take a swipe at Hunter in front of a packed crowd.
“Everyone's like, 'Where's Hunter?' Look, it's always, 'Where's Hunter?'” Trump added. 'What a two-tiered legal system we have.'
Hunter defied a congressional subpoena to appear for a closed-door deposition, saying he would appear alone in public.
Instead, he made a statement on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, saying his father was “not financially involved” in his controversial business dealings and that there was no evidence because it “didn't happen.”
The president's son made an emotional public statement blasting Trump's “relentless attack machine” and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene for displaying nude photos of him in Congress.
Hunter admitted that he had made “mistakes” in his life due to his crack cocaine addiction, but then denounced the Republicans who investigated him, accusing them of “turning my father's love into darkness.”
Now Republicans are formally filing contempt of court proceedings in Congress against the president's son for failing to appear for his subpoenaed deposition.
Hunter said, “I'm here today to acknowledge that I've made mistakes in my life. I'm also here today to correct how the MAGA right has portrayed me for political purposes.
“At the depths of my addiction, I was extremely irresponsible with my finances,” he admitted.
“But to suggest that this is grounds for an impeachment inquiry is absurd.”
The former president, 77, hit Joe Biden's son during a speech in Iowa on Wednesday night and joked that he “went to the wrong place.”
Hunter defied a congressional subpoena to appear for a closed-door deposition, saying he would only appear in public
Instead, he made a statement on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, saying his father was “not financially involved” in his controversial business dealings and that there was no evidence because it “didn't happen.”
Hunter spoke outside the Senate side of the Capitol, hours before a planned Republican vote to formalize the ongoing impeachment inquiry into his father. The investigation was approved later that afternoon.
He said: 'It's shameless. There is no evidence to support the allegations that my father was financially involved in my business because this did not happen.”
There was speculation in Washington, D.C., about whether the first son would show up for his behind-closed-doors interview in the GOP investigation led by Oversight Chairman James Comer into his father's involvement in his foreign business deals.
Hunter was subpoenaed by Republicans last month, along with James Biden, the president's brother, and Biden family member Rob Walker. Attorneys for James have been in contact with the committee and they are working to schedule a time for his closed-door testimony.
Hunter's decision to sidestep the declaration at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday sets up a showdown with Republicans, who will now begin the process of holding him in contempt of Congress.
If Hunter is held in contempt of Congress by a committee vote, his case would go before the Biden-led Justice Department. If DOJ agrees to prosecute the case, he could face up to 12 months in prison or a fine of up to $100,000 if convicted.
Republicans threatened to begin the process of holding Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress after he failed to show up for his impeachment inquiry at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.
House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer blasted Hunter Biden for not testifying
“Hunter Biden today defied lawful subpoenas and we will now initiate contempt of court proceedings in Congress,” a statement from Comer and Jordan said.
“We will not provide special treatment because his last name is Biden.”
Comer and Jordan questioned what Hunter said earlier Wednesday about his father not being “financially” involved in his business.
“How exactly was Joe Biden involved?” they wondered in the statement. “Evidence shows that Joe Biden met with Hunter's business partners and that his name was central to the family business's strategy.”
Hunter accused House Republicans of disrupting his relationship with his father.
They turned “my father's love into darkness,” he said.
Later, after Hunter skipped the deposition, Comer said there were “mountains of evidence” against him and that he should not be allowed to dictate the terms of his subpoena.
“We expect to impeach the president's son, and then we would like to have an open hearing,” Comer said.
“I don't know anyone who's in more trouble than Hunter Biden, and he just got into more trouble today.”