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'Imagine if he was running for president': Donald Trump trolled mercilessly after Hunter Biden indictment

This is the first time in US history that the Justice Department has charged the child of a sitting president with criminal offenses

WASHINGTON, DC: Former President Donald Trump was "trolled" on social media following the indictment of President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.

This is the first time in US history that the Justice Department has charged the child of a sitting president with criminal offenses, and it has already sent shockwaves through the political landscape.

The indictment against Hunter Biden

Hunter Biden's legal troubles stem from a firearm he purchased in October 2018, a revolver bought at a Delaware gun shop.

The indictment alleges that he made false statements on a federal firearms form by certifying that he was neither an unlawful user of, nor addicted to, any illegal drugs.

At the time of the purchase, Hunter Biden was reportedly struggling with crack cocaine addiction, which makes his statements on the form a potential federal crime.

The three charges brought against him are making false statements on a federal firearms form and possession of a firearm as a prohibited person.

The severity of these charges should not be underestimated, as making false statements on ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) forms and possessing a firearm as a drug user are both federal offenses. Hunter Biden's possession of the firearm lasted for approximately 11 days in 2018.

Collapse of Hunter Biden plea deal

Initially, it seemed that Hunter Biden's legal woes might be resolved through a plea deal, but this arrangement collapsed during the summer amid increased scrutiny from a federal judge.

The unexpected collapse of the plea deal left the Biden administration grappling with the uncertain prospect of a trial right in the middle of President Biden's 2024 re-election campaign.

The plea deal had included provisions for Hunter Biden to plead guilty to two federal tax misdemeanors while entering into a "diversion agreement" in which the gun charge would be dropped if he passed regular drug tests and stayed out of legal trouble.

However, this plan came crashing down during a court hearing in July, leading to a standoff between the prosecution and defense.

As a result, Attorney General Merrick Garland elevated special counsel David Weiss to oversee the case, marking a significant escalation in the investigation.

Political implications of Hunter Biden indictment 

The indictment of Hunter Biden has unsurprisingly become a political lightning rod.

President Biden's opponents, particularly Republican politicians, have seized on this development to intensify their scrutiny of the president's family and business dealings.

House Republicans even announced an impeachment inquiry into President Biden concerning Hunter Biden's business ventures.

His lawyer, Abbe Lowell, has vehemently defended his client against the charges, alleging that political pressure played a pivotal role in the indictment.

Lowell argued that Hunter Biden possessing an unloaded gun for 11 days did not pose a threat to public safety, but the prosecution's actions represented a grave threat to the American justice system, CNN reported.

Former President Donald Trump, who himself is facing multiple legal challenges, commented on Hunter Biden's indictment, describing it as a "sad situation."

He told NBC News, “It’s a sad situation, I mean, nobody should be happy about this."

Trump's own legal troubles include criminal indictments in New York related to a hush-money scheme and in Georgia for alleged election interference during the 2020 presidential race.

Additionally, he faces federal cases stemming from investigations into his handling of classified documents after leaving office and his efforts during the 2020 presidential election.

Donald Trump trolled after Hunter Biden indictment 

The announcement of Hunter Biden's indictment generated a flurry of reactions on social media, with many taking shots at Donald Trump.

"Hunter Biden indicted. Wow, that would be so bad for him if he was running for president. Imagine running for president and getting indicted. Just imagine," MSNBC host Mehdi Hassan tweeted.

"MAGA loves the FBI and the DoJ when a Biden is indicted, not so much when it's a Trump or his criminal cabal," another Twitter user wrote.

"If Trump were still president and this happened with one of his sons they’d sing a different tune, but they know it," a comment read.

"Once more, with feeling: every Democrat believes that if Hunter Biden broke the law, he should be punished. every Republican believes that Donald Trump should be above the law. any questions," someone else added.

"I totally promise I will not vote for Hunter Biden and Donald Trump," another quipped.

What lies ahead for Hunter Biden

As the legal proceedings unfold, many questions remain unanswered. It's unclear when and where Hunter Biden's initial court appearance will take place, and whether the earlier plea deal will have any impact on the gun charges.

Special counsel David Weiss is also considering whether to bring tax charges against Hunter Biden, and the possibility of a trial on tax offenses looms.

If convicted on all counts, Hunter Biden could face a potential sentence of up to 25 years in prison and fines of up to $750,000.