Biden and Democrats were accused of deceiving the public about pardoning Hunter by Rod Blagojevich, who claimed they made "chumps of the American people."

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, criticized President Biden for lying to the public about his plans to pardon his son, Hunter.

In 2011, Blagojevich, who had been released from prison in Colorado in 2020 after serving eight years for corruption, was convicted on 18 counts, including attempting to sell Obama's old Senate seat. His first trial in 2010 resulted in a single conviction for lying to the FBI, but the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the other charges.

"Blagojevich stated on "America's Newsroom" on Tuesday that his case is distinct from Hunter Biden's, who he said committed crimes, while he did not. He emphasized that he was imprisoned for political reasons and refused to give in to weaponized prosecutors."

"Joe Biden is a father, and so am I. If I were in his position, I likely would have made the same decision for my child. However, unlike Biden, I wouldn't have lied to the American people about my intentions. It's clear that Biden knew what he was doing and had planned it all along for his son. How could he not?"

On Sunday, President Biden issued a sweeping pardon for Hunter, despite his previous statements that he would not do so.

Earlier this year, the first son was convicted in two separate federal cases. In September, he pleaded guilty to federal tax charges, and in June, he was convicted of three felony gun charges after lying on a mandatory gun purchase form, claiming he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs.

The president contended in a statement that Hunter was targeted solely due to his relationship with him and that there was an attempt to undermine Hunter in order to weaken him.

The White House has been criticized for changing its stance on pardoning the first son, after initially pledging not to do so.

"Blagojevich stated that he believes Democratic political leaders have cynical motives for lying to the American people, and that he thinks it is wrong to do so. He also expressed difficulty in condemning someone who is looking out for their son."

While critics accused the White House of lying about Biden's intentions, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre maintained that the American people were never misled during her interviews with reporters on the way to Angola.

"According to Jeane-Pierre, the president believes in always being truthful with the American people, and he struggled with making that decision."

Biden's decision to grant a pardon to his son Hunter last weekend was met with numerous questions, with many of the inquiries repeating points from the president's statement on Sunday night. Additionally, she hinted that there may be more pardons to come before Biden departs from the White House.

"Obviously, there's a process in place," she informed reporters. "As such, I won't go ahead of the president on this matter. However, you can anticipate more announcements, pardons, and clemency at the conclusion of this term."