Jake Tapper Slams Hunter Biden’s ‘Sleazy’ Influence in Explosive Podcast

CNN anchor Jake Tapper didn’t hold back in a recent podcast, slamming Hunter Biden as "demonstrably unethical, sleazy, and prone to horrible decisions." Appearing on Katie Couric’s Next Question, Tapper, alongside Axios reporter Alex Thompson, discussed their book on President Joe Biden’s mental decline and the controversial role Hunter played in the White House. Tapper painted a picture of Hunter wielding undue influence, likening him to a de facto chief of staff, a role he deemed wildly inappropriate given Hunter’s track record.

Tapper didn’t mince words, pointing to Hunter’s personal scandals, including his affair with his late brother Beau’s widow and her subsequent addiction struggles. "That’s just one thing I could say," Tapper quipped, emphasizing his low regard for Hunter, whom he’s met only briefly. By contrast, he praised Beau Biden, the late Delaware attorney general, as the family’s true political star before his 2015 death from cancer.

The discussion revealed deeper tensions. Tapper and Thompson suggested that protecting Hunter from legal fallout may have driven Joe Biden’s decision to seek a second term, a choice they argue backfired. Hunter’s foreign business dealings, long a lightning rod, also drew Tapper’s ire, marking a shift from his earlier reluctance to cover such stories in 2020. By 2023, Tapper was openly critical, especially after Biden’s pardon of Hunter, which he called a betrayal of public trust.

Hunter fired back in a separate interview, accusing Tapper of insensitivity during Beau’s illness and recounting a heated 2018 Super Bowl confrontation. Tapper’s team denied any misconduct, pointing to his continued access to Biden for interviews and debate moderation in 2024. This feud underscores the messy intersection of politics, family loyalty, and media scrutiny, with Hunter’s influence raising questions about judgment at the highest levels.