Hunter Biden has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent weeks. The former first son, once viewed as a political liability, has become an unlikely galvanizing force within the Democratic party through his emergence on social media. His posts blend self-deprecating humor, mental health advocacy, and sharp political commentary, winning over even some Republican voters.
Self-Deprecating Humor and Viral Moments
Biden's posts often feature self-deprecating jokes. In one, he told Playboy magazine he would not pose nude. In another, he engaged in campy wordplay over a phallic misspelling of the word 'election.' These lighthearted moments are mixed with serious messages about addiction recovery and populist political commentary.
His honest responses to trolling have frequently won over critics. When an X user named Ashley, whose bio says she loves Jesus, wrote, 'I'd rather live under a rock than smoke it,' Biden replied, 'Me too. It was awful.' Ashley responded, 'Well damn, Hunter, that makes me sad. You live a better life than you were living. Good luck.'
Attracting Trump's Attention
Biden's rise on X, where he has amassed over 780,000 followers, has caught the attention of former President Donald Trump. When asked about Biden's chances in a hypothetical 2028 primary, Trump said, 'His past is not the greatest.' Biden fired back: 'Wait... Did he just say checkered past? I'm 28 felonies, 6 bankruptcies, and an Epstein bromance short of his checkered past.' This referenced Trump's 34 felony convictions in 2024 and Biden's own felony tax and gun charges.
Biden has since warmed to the idea of a 2028 run, if only to troll conservatives. 'Just saying... No Democrat has won the White House this century without a Biden on the ticket,' he wrote, a post seen by nearly half a million people. When a user named Tyler called him 'very good' on the app, Biden replied, 'It's so easy to bait them Tyler. It's hilarious. Ha!'
Political Commentary and Populist Appeal
Biden frequently dabbles in politics. In early June, he wrote: 'Things most Americans agree on: Groceries cost too much. Tariffs suck and make no sense. Congress and Presidents shouldn't trade stocks. The debt is a mess. The border should be secure, but legal immigration is good. Endless wars are stupid... Things we're told to fight about: Me. Laptop. Vaccines. Transgenders in sports. Pronouns. That's the joke.'
His appeal extends to some Republican voters. A user named @PeteJurg, who described himself as a '3 X Trump voter,' wrote, 'I think I love Hunter Biden.' Biden replied, 'I think I love Pete!'
Policy Solutions and Mental Health Advocacy
When asked what he would fix first as president, Biden answered: 'Rent. Not housing policy. Cap the algorithmic price-fixing the landlord cartels have been running in plain sight. End the corporate purchase of single-family homes. Tax the institutional ownership of residential property at a rate that makes it unprofitable. Use the revenue to build. Not vouchers. Build.'
Perhaps most importantly, Biden has used his platform to advocate for addiction recovery. A former crack cocaine addict who has been sober for seven years, he has shared videos about his experience. One user wrote, 'I believe @HunterBiden is leading an unknown number of folks here on X to recovery.' Another said, 'You inspire me to stay clean.'
In a video about supporting people in early recovery, Biden suggested seeking Al-Anon resources and shared a personal note: 'The one thing that I know helped save me is that my dad never stopped reaching out, never let go. Just the realization that there was always someone up there with a lantern shining a light down, reaching a hand down into the hell that I had put myself into gave me the strength to make the long climb out. So what I would say is never give up on them, and just keep loving them.'
