Hunter Biden criticizes handling of Afghanistan withdrawal and US immigration policy

Hunter Biden has openly criticized his father’s handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and questioned current immigration policies, saying he is uncertain about his own political affiliation.

In a wide-ranging interview aired Monday on The Shawn Ryan Show podcast, the former first son described the execution of the Afghanistan withdrawal as a failure, while maintaining that ending the war itself was the right decision.

“I think the failure — one of the failures — was the way in which they executed the withdrawal from Afghanistan,” Hunter Biden said, calling it an “obvious failure” that resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members. He added that while responsibility could be shared among military leaders and officials, “the buck stops with the president.”

Hunter Biden said he supported withdrawing U.S. forces after two decades of war, citing the heavy human and financial cost of the conflict. However, he argued that the manner in which the exit was carried out undermined that decision.

“There was a better way to do it,” he said, adding that while President Donald Trump’s administration also bore responsibility for earlier decisions involving the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), ultimate accountability rested with the sitting president.

The interview also touched on domestic issues, including immigration, where Hunter Biden appeared to distance himself from Democratic Party positions. He said he was unsure whether he still identified as a Democrat and criticized what he described as a lack of meaningful debate on immigration.

“We need immigration — vibrant immigration,” he said, but added that illegal immigration was straining resources and should not take precedence over veterans and others affected by years of war.

Hunter Biden’s comments come as immigration remains a central political issue in the United States, with Republicans, including Trump, continuing to call for tougher border enforcement following a surge in illegal crossings during the Biden administration.