For the first time in public, President Joe Biden on Friday mentioned his seventh grandchild, Navy, while also stating that she is “not a political issue.”
NBC News was able to receive a statement from Vice President Joe Biden in which he stated that he and First Lady Jill Biden desired the best for every one of their grandchildren, “including Navy.”
The president stated that “our son Hunter and Navy’s mother, Lunden, are working jointly to foster a connection that is in their daughter’s best interests, protecting her privacy as much as is possible moving forward.” “This is a family concern; it’s not a political issue. Including Navy, Jill and I only desire what is best for every one of our grandchildren.
After initially denying paternity, Hunter Biden and Lunden Roberts a month ago reached a settlement in a paternity issue involving their daughter Navy in a court in Arkansas.
The president has come under increasing criticism from Republican presidential contenders for not including Navy among his grandchildren in public speeches, which led to Friday’s statement.
“Before you start worrying about our kids, why don’t you spend a while with your granddaughter at Arkansas, or at least acknowledge her existence?” Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, spoke on parental rights to Tennessee voters this month.
Biotech multimillionaire Vivek Ramaswamy tweeted in early July, “Would be great if @JoeBiden eventually steps out and acknowledges his own granddaughter.”
I have six grandchildren,” Biden stated in April in honor of Take Your Child to Work Day. And I just adore them. And I communicate with them daily. No joke. In actuality, I’ve just completed sorting through the calls.
According to a person with knowledge of the circumstances, the Bidens “are — and were — giving Hunter and Lunden the time they need to figure things out.”
The insider said, “You have to keep in mind that Navy’s parents were engaged in some fairly contentious legal proceedings up until just a few weeks ago.” The Bidens are imitating Hunter as grandparents.
Hunter Biden agreed as part of the deal last month to give Navy an unspecified number of his paintings, to pay an undisclosed sum in child support until she becomes 18, and to talk about giving her a college fund. According to the deal, Roberts withdrew a counterclaim to have Navy’s last name changed to Biden.
Hunter Biden also has four more kids, including a boy with his wife Melissa Cohen and three girls with his ex-wife Kathleen Buhle.
The two additional grandkids of the president are those of his deceased son Beau and late wife Hallie.