London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 12, 2026

Biden Wrote the Playbook Before Trump

In the grand arena of contemporary politics, Donald Trump’s newest legal maneuver is both daring and unexpectedly sensible. His legal team is invoking President Joe Biden’s pardon of Hunter Biden as a basis to dismiss the Manhattan hush-money case against him. Bold? Certainly. Absurd? Not at all. In fact, Trump’s action can be seen as a logical progression of the precedent set by Biden's generous pardon.
In summary, Trump faces thirty-four felony charges for allegedly falsifying business records to hide a $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.

His defense argument? Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, on federal gun and tax charges, claiming the prosecution is politically driven. If Biden can manipulate justice to protect his own, why shouldn't Trump expect the same leniency?

This isn't just a matter of "whataboutism." Biden's actions have fundamentally altered the standards of accountability for U.S. leaders.

By covering up Hunter’s crimes with a pardon, the president didn’t just protect his son; he undermined the principle of unbiased justice. Biden, who presents himself as a champion of democracy, has given Trump a perfect chance to argue that fairness is now a thing of the past.

Trump isn’t requesting special treatment—he’s insisting on equal unfairness.

And honestly, who can fault him? Biden has already claimed the moral high ground and reduced it to a mire of political favoritism. By pardoning his son without remorse, Biden set the bar so low it nearly touches the ground.

This situation, of course, isn't just about Hunter or Trump. It's about the deteriorating integrity of a justice system that now resembles a poorly crafted legal drama.

When the president of the United States pardons his son for crimes that would send others to federal prison, the entire system is brought into question. Is justice impartial, or is it merely peering to see whose name is on the list?

For Trump, the logic is straightforward: if Hunter gets a pass, he should too. And let’s be honest, the argument makes sense. Biden’s pardon was an epitome of hypocrisy, and Trump is simply stating the obvious. Justice is no longer about right and wrong; it revolves around power and influence.

The tragedy here is not only the double standard but the precedent it establishes for future leaders. Biden didn’t just pardon his son—he gave every politician the permission to misuse clemency for personal or political advantage.

If Hunter can go unpunished, why shouldn’t every leader's wrongdoings be concealed the same way? Let’s not pretend this issue ends with Biden or Trump. This is the slippery slope America was cautioned against, and now we're racing down it at top speed.

The true victims, of course, are the American people. Each time the powerful twist the rules, public trust in the system diminishes further. What we're witnessing isn’t justice—it's a dismal display of political elites maintaining their own rules.

The idea that “no one is above the law” now seems empty, a relic of a past era when accountability mattered.

So, what’s next? Do we accept this new norm of selective justice, where the laws apply only to those without connections? Or do we demand a system that doesn’t collapse under its own hypocrisy?

The solution isn't in the words of leaders but in the vigilance of the public. Because if we let this slide without consequence, justice in America will become nothing more than the punchline of a bad joke.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Government Creates Emergency Support Scheme for Financially Struggling Universities
United Kingdom Replaces Traditional Farm Subsidies With Payments Linked to Environmental Performance
National Grid Reports First Week of Electricity Generation Without Fossil Fuels
United Kingdom Financial Regulator Introduces Tougher Capital Rules for Cryptocurrency Exchanges
Belfast Harbour Expands Operations to Attract Investment Through United Kingdom and European Union Market Access
Scottish Government Threatens Legal Challenge Over Westminster Cuts to North Sea Transition Funding
United Kingdom Accelerates Trans-Pennine High-Speed Rail Project Linking Northern Cities
United Kingdom Secures Ten Billion Pound Investment for Cambridge Quantum Computing Campus
Port Talbot Steelworks Wins Support for Green Hydrogen Transition and Protection of Industrial Jobs
United Kingdom Sends Royal Navy Carrier Strike Group to Indo-Pacific as Regional Security Focus Expands
National Health Service Expands Artificial Intelligence Diagnostics Across England to Reduce Screening Backlogs
United Kingdom Launches Fifty Billion Pound Infrastructure Fund to Accelerate Housing and Construction
UK Medical Chiefs Update Health Guidance to Promote Everyday Physical Activity
Office of Communications Keeps Wikipedia Under Review Under UK Online Safety Rules
UK Defence Ministry Expands Deep-Strike Capability Through Precision Missile Programme
Russell Group Universities Warn Funding Cuts Could Damage NHS Workforce Training
UK Parliament Calls for National Emergency Broadcast as Heatwave Conditions Intensify
UK and Netherlands Strengthen Naval Cooperation With New Amphibious Defence Partnership
UK Defence Ministry Joins International Missile Programme With One Hundred and Ninety Million Pound Investment
Bank of England Warns Middle East Conflict and AI Risks Could Pressure UK Economy
UK Government Introduces New Rules to Limit Foreign Influence in Political Donations
UK and France Prepare Naval Mission to Protect Shipping Through Strait of Hormuz
United States Pressures UK to Increase Defence Spending at NATO Summit
Bank of England Warns Artificial Intelligence Investment Boom Could Create Financial Stability Risks
Bank of England Begins Direct Oversight of Critical Technology Providers Supporting UK Finance
Andy Burnham Set to Become UK Prime Minister After Labour Leadership Race Clears Path to Downing Street
Scottish Fishing Industry Calls for Emergency Support Amid Rising Costs
UK Supports Stronger European Response to Russian Actions in Ukraine
Devon and Cornwall Police Release Suspect in Ann Widdecombe Murder Investigation
Scottish MPs Demand More Government Support for Fishing Industry
UK Aviation Sector Faces New Rules as Parliament Reviews Passenger Protection Reforms
King’s College London Disciplines Students Over Pro-Palestine Campus Protests
Ministry of Defence Expands Military Capabilities Through New Precision Strike Investment
United Kingdom Condemns Russian Treatment of Ukrainian Children at International Security Forum
House of Lords Reviews Civil Aviation Bill to Strengthen Passenger Rights and UK Aviation Competitiveness
UK Aerospace and Defence Industries Contribute Nearly Forty-Seven Billion Pounds to Economy
UK Government Advances Consultation on Possible Social Media Ban for Children Under Sixteen
United Kingdom Ratifies Global High Seas Treaty to Protect Marine Biodiversity
United Kingdom Joins United States Precision Strike Missile Programme With One Hundred Ninety Million Pound Investment
UK Senior NHS Doctors Vote for Further Strike Action Over Pay and Contract Disputes
BBC Leadership Resigns After Donald Trump Launches Ten Billion Dollar Defamation Lawsuit
UK Fiscal Watchdog Warns Andy Burnham Government Faces One Hundred Billion Pound Budget Challenge
The AI Invoice Shock: Layoffs Didn't Save Managers Money — They Cost Them More
Concern: Sexually Transmitted Bacterium Among Men Develops Antibiotic Resistance
Following Massive Investor Demand: SK Hynix Raises 26.5 Billion Dollars on Nasdaq
Passenger Partially Pulled Out of Ryanair Jet After Cabin Window Fails Mid-Flight
After Four Years, and Under a Heavy Veil of Secrecy: King Charles Meets His Grandchildren, Harry and Meghan's Children
Cross-Party MPs Call for National Climate Emergency Broadcast
Bayeux Tapestry Arrives in the United Kingdom for Landmark Exhibition
United Kingdom Launches Modern Slavery Prevention Programme in Vietnam
×