Hunter Biden threatens legal action against Fox News

Hunter Biden at White House Easter egg roll — Hunter Biden's legal action has "at times created friction" with the White House

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

What happened

Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, warned Fox News that he plans to take legal action "imminently" against the network for its coverage of him, according to an April 23 letter made public Monday.

Who said what

Fox News is perpetrating a "conspiracy and subsequent actions to defame Mr. Biden and paint him in a false light," Biden's lawyers wrote. And "while routinely defaming and disparaging" him, Fox violated multiple "revenge porn" laws and "sought to profit by the unlawful exploitation" of Biden's "image, name and likeness for commercial purposes and reprehensible dissemination of salacious photographs."

The commentary

The letter is the "latest salvo in the president's son's more aggressive legal and press strategy over the past year," Axios said. That stance has "at times created friction" with the White House. Hunter Biden's legal plans were inspired in part by voting machine company Dominion's successful suit against Fox, NBC News said.

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What next?

Hunter Biden is scheduled to stand trial on gun charges in Delaware on June 3.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.