Hunter Biden Complains Family Is Broke During Deposition
Hunter Biden, who made millions of dollars over the years allegedly grifting on behalf of his politically connected father, Joe Biden, is now destitute, or so he says.
The man who was paid tens of thousands of dollars for what can only be described as juvenile paintings while his father was president can’t even afford a cellphone or a vehicle, according to a deposition he gave this week.
He also said his family is too strapped to help him pay millions in legal bills to the firm of his former attorney, Abbe Lowell.
Hunter described the financial condition of both himself and his family in stark terms during a Feb. 9 deposition in his legal dispute with the law firm Winston Taylor.
The firm sued Biden in June 2025, alleging he failed to pay approximately $17 million in legal fees incurred while the firm represented him in federal criminal proceedings, congressional investigations, and defamation lawsuits he filed against various individuals.
“I don’t have any assets. I don’t own a car. I don’t own a phone,” Biden, an attorney who has been disbarred in Connecticut, said in the deposition, according to a transcript released this week.
“I don’t own anything of any value other than—and I don’t know the value of it—my paintings which I painted myself,” Biden testified. “So that’s it. And I don’t even have any other assets at all, stocks, bonds, anything like that, savings accounts.”
Biden, who recently landed a job at a luxury Los Angeles addiction treatment center, also said his family does not have any assets to lend or provide him.
“My family doesn’t have any money, and it’s not their debt anyway,” he said.
Hunter Biden’s financial situation marks a dramatic reversal for the Yale-trained attorney, who once earned millions of dollars through business ventures during the years his father served as vice president. Court records and his public memoir have documented that much of his wealth was consumed by years of drug and alcohol addiction, along with lavish personal spending.
His recent deposition has also renewed questions about the Biden family’s broader financial outlook.
Former President Joe Biden reportedly received a $10 million advance for a memoir scheduled for release in November, while former First Lady Jill Biden also received a substantial advance for her memoir, published in June.
Although her book reached No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list, observers note that book advances are typically paid over several years and are reduced by taxes, agent commissions, and other fees.
Political observers have also questioned the family’s future earning potential.
Joe Biden, who has been diagnosed with Stage IV cancer, has reportedly faced challenges securing high-paying speaking engagements and raising funds for his presidential library.
As a result, some analysts believe the lucrative opportunities that once surrounded the Biden family have become far more limited, the Washington Free Beacon reports.
Hunter Biden’s current legal team released depositions from both Biden and his former attorney, Abbe Lowell, in response to a discovery request from Winston Taylor.
The law firm is seeking emails and encrypted text messages as part of its lawsuit to recover unpaid legal fees.
Biden has opposed the request, arguing that he has already produced all documents relevant to the dispute.
Although Biden does not dispute that Winston Taylor is owed millions of dollars in outstanding legal fees, he contends the firm understood when it agreed to represent him in late 2022 that he lacked the financial resources to pay the full amount.
According to Biden, Lowell—who left the firm formerly known as Winston & Strawn last year—repeatedly assured him that he should not worry about paying his legal bills.
President Donald Trump on Sunday threatened to ramp up operations against Iran’s energy infrastructure if the regime failed to reach an acceptable peace deal soon, though he also hinted that such a deal is in the offing.
“The United States of America is in serious discussions with A NEW,
AND MORE REASONABLE, REGIME to end our Military Operations in Iran,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“Great progress has been made but, if for any reason a deal is not shortly reached, which it probably will be, and if the Hormuz Strait is not immediately ‘Open for Business,’ we will conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!), which we have purposefully not yet ‘touched,’” he added.
“This will be in retribution for our many soldiers, and others, that Iran has butchered and killed over the old Regime’s 47 year ‘Reign of Terror,’” Trump concluded.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, said on Friday that U.S. military operations in Iran are expected to conclude within weeks as objectives are being met ahead of schedule. He made the remarks following meetings with foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations in France.
Rubio said the timeline aligns with earlier projections from President Donald Trump and administration officials, who indicated operations would last between four and seven weeks. “It’s a question of weeks, not months,” Rubio said when asked about the timeline, BBC reported.
He added that the U.S. has received messages from Iran regarding possible negotiations but indicated uncertainty about who would represent Tehran. “We’ve had an exchange of messages and indications from the Iranian system, whatever’s left of it, about a willingness to talk about certain things,” Rubio said.
“We’re waiting for further clarification about who it is that we would be talking to, what we would be talking about, and when we will be talking,” he added. The comments come as the Trump administration has reportedly presented a 15-point
proposal aimed at ending the conflict. Special envoy Steve Witkoff said he is “hopeful” talks could take place soon and that the proposal could resolve the war.
“We have a 15-point deal on the table that the Iranians have had for a bit of time,” Witkoff said. “We expect an answer from them and it would solve it all.”
Trump said Friday he has paused a potential strike on Iranian power infrastructure to allow space for negotiations. “Iran is being decimated,” Trump said, adding, “We are talking now. They want to make a deal.”
The conflict, which began on Feb. 28 with joint U.S. and Israeli operations, has resulted in the deaths of several senior Iranian leaders. Rubio said the U.S. has also deployed additional forces to the region to provide military options as the situation develops.
Iranian officials have accused Israel of carrying out strikes on nuclear facilities and major industrial sites, including steel plants. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned Tehran would impose a “heavy price” in response.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened retaliation against infrastructure tied to the U.S. and Israel. The group said it could target industrial and energy-related assets across the region.
The G7 nations called for restoring full navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has moved to restrict. The waterway is a critical global energy route, with roughly 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passing through it.
Rubio said there are reports Iran has begun charging some vessels for safe passage through the strait. Iranian lawmakers are also reportedly considering legislation tied to those restrictions.
Rubio reiterated U.S. warnings that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened “one way or the other” when asked by a reporter about the U.S. strikes on Iran.
“The straits have to be open, they’re going to be open,” he said during a trip to India. “What’s happening there is unlawful, it’s illegal, it’s unsustainable for the world, it’s unacceptable.”
“There were some talks going on in Qatar today, so we’ll see if we can make progress,” Rubio said.
“I think it’s a lot of talking back and forth going on about specific language in the initial document, so it’ll take a few days. The president expressed his desire to make it. He’s either going to make a good deal or no deal,” Rubio added.
American military forces conducted what U.S. Central Command said were “self-defense strikes” in southern Iran on Monday, “to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.”
The targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats trying to place mines, Capt. Tim Hawkins, a Central Command spokesperson.
“U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing cease-fire,” said Captain Hawkins, who declined to say which ships came under fire, where they were located, or precisely where the other U.S. strikes took place.
Some of the dozens of American warplanes and nearly two dozen Navy warships, including two aircraft carriers and their escort ships enforcing a blockade against vessels trying to enter or leave Iranian ports in or around the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea, were threatened by Iranian surface-to-air missiles, a senior U.S. military official said.
The U.S. strikes were near the Iranian port and navy base at Bandar Abbas, the official said.
American and Iranian forces have clashed in other ways since a cease-fire took effect approximately six weeks ago.
But the strikes on Monday occurred as Iranian officials gathered in Qatar for negotiations on ending the war. Iran said Monday that Tehran and Washington have struck understandings on many subjects in negotiations over a deal for ending the war, but warned that a final deal is not imminent.
“It is correct to say that we have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the issues under discussion,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said during a weekly news briefing.
“But to say that this means the signing of an agreement is imminent—no one can make such a claim,” he said, accusing Washington of shifting its positions.
Trump said if he makes a deal with Iran, it will be a “good and proper one,” criticizing the Obama administration’s record with Iran and accusing the former president of giving Iran “massive amounts of CASH, and a clear and open path to a Nuclear Weapon.”
A top administration official said on Sunday that the Iranians have agreed to a deal that would include getting rid of highly enriched uranium.
However, work is still being done to finalize the deal.
In a final deal, Iran would also have to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the U.S. lifting its blockade of the waterway.
If Iran agrees to lessen its nuclear enrichment, the U.S. would also be willing to ease sanctions.
The source said that most people agree on the basic ideas, and the Trump administration is pleased with how things are going, even though they are still working on finishing up the specifics.
The official said that Iran seems more open to making deals now than it did before the military operation.
The official said that the government wants to see a strong promise not to enrich.
They say it doesn’t matter if the promise is for 20 or 30 years; what matters is how it will be enforced.
The source said they think the deal will go further than the Obama administration’s 2015 nuclear deal, which let enrichment go up to a certain point. Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement, volunteer teams, and tips pouring in, her whereabouts remain unknown more than five months later.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced on July 2 that Derrick Callella of Hawthorne, California, pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment using a telecommunication device.
Callella, who is 42 years old, admitted to calling and texting about sending bitcoin to Guthrie’s family on February 4.
“Callella acknowledged that he knew an earlier ransom demand had been made. Callella also admitted that his actions were meant to harass the family by seeking information about the investigation into the missing person’s disappearance,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in its press release.
Callella could face two years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, along with one year of being closely watched while he is free.
On September 10, he will be given his sentence.
This is the second major piece of information to break this week in the Guthrie case.
Federal investigators have determined that all three ransom notes linked to the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie, are fake communications, according to an FBI official who spoke to Reuters on Tuesday.
The bombshell revelation comes nearly six months after Nancy Guthrie vanished from her upscale home in Catalina Foothills, Arizona, on January 31, 2026, in what authorities have treated as a criminal abduction.
The FBI assessment covers two ransom notes reported in early February, days after Guthrie disappeared, and a third, more recent message from someone claiming to know the kidnappers’ identities. “None of the ransom notes are believed to be genuine,” the FBI official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the active investigation.
Officials from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, who are leading the investigation with FBI assistance, have not publicly detailed the contents of all notes.
However, sources familiar with the case previously revealed that the first note demanded millions in bitcoin for Guthrie’s safe return.
A second note reportedly claimed she had died, with the apparent abductors apologizing and stating they did not mean for her to die.
A third note, sent to TMZ in late June, claimed to have video evidence of the abduction.
The FBI Phoenix Field Office later issued a statement clarifying that while some notes appear to be extortion attempts, others “may potentially be legitimate and are still being investigated as such.”
The agency emphasized, “This case continues to be investigated as a kidnapping for ransom case.”
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on January 31, 2026, after her daughter Savannah dropped her off at home following a family dinner.
Surveillance footage captured an armed, masked figure tampering with her security camera before her disappearance.
Authorities discovered signs of a struggle inside the home, including hallway blood and a broken lamp.
Savannah Guthrie publicly pleaded for information after stepping away from her NBC duties to assist in the search.
Law enforcement kept many details private to avoid compromising the investigation, but leaks to media outlets fueled public speculation and theories ranging from a genuine kidnapping to a hoax.
A $50,000 reward was offered for information leading to Nancy’s safe return or the arrest of those responsible.
Mixed DNA evidence has been analyzed, but no arrests have been made.
“We are following every lead,” he said in recent updates.
The family continues to cooperate fully while dealing with what Savannah has called “unending trauma.” In a recent interview, Chelsea admitted that life as the daughter of
one of the most powerful men in the world wasn’t always glamorous. “People think it was all about privilege and fancy dinners,” she said, “but they don’t know what went on behind closed doors. My dad used to…” — she paused, taking a deep breath — “remind me every single day that no matter what the headlines said, we were still a family first.”
She spoke about how her father would make time, even during the most chaotic moments of his presidency, to sit with her, talk about her studies, and encourage her to chase her dreams. “He never wanted me to feel small next to him,” she said. “He wanted me to stand tall — even when the world was watching him fall.”
Chelsea’s words struck a chord with many who had forgotten the human side of one of America’s most talked-about political families. Her emotional tone made it clear: behind the scandals, speeches, and history books, there was still just a father and a daughter trying to hold onto normalcy.
It’s not often that Chelsea opens up publicly, but this time, her
honesty has touched millions. Sometimes, even in the storm of politics, the quiet truth of family love speaks the loudest.
Chelsea also described the strain of growing up while strangers discussed her family every day. Ordinary mistakes could become public stories, and moments that most children experience privately unfolded under national attention. She said the steady message at home was to keep learning, remain grounded, and not allow political conflict to define her sense of self. That support did not erase the pressure, but it gave her a private center inside an unusually public childhood. Her comments offered a reminder that famous families still live through relationships that are personal rather than political. Bill Clinton was a president to the country, but to Chelsea he was also the father who asked about school, encouraged her ambitions, and tried to protect family time inside a demanding schedule. By speaking in her own words, she shifted attention away from assumptions and toward the quieter memories that shaped how she understood him.
Her recollection presents a private side of the former president that public appearances could never fully show. Instead of focusing only on politics she described the ordinary habits and family moments that remained vivid to her. Those details helped explain why speaking about him carried such emotion and why her memories were rooted in the relationship between a daughter and her father rather than the public image surrounding his name. Those memories remained personal meaningful and inseparable from her own upbringing.
The House of Representatives passed legislation to extend the federal Terrorism Risk Insurance Program through 2034, delivering a strong bipartisan vote in favor of maintaining stability in the commercial insurance market.
Lawmakers approved H.R. 7128, the TRIA Program Reauthorization Act of 2026, by a vote of 373-15.
The measure, sponsored by Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, now heads to the Senate.
The program provides a federal backstop for property and casualty insurers facing catastrophic losses from certified acts of terrorism, having been created by Congress in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Under the existing framework, private insurers must make terrorism coverage available to policyholders, while the Treasury Department shares in losses above certain thresholds once a certified event occurs.
House Financial Services Committee Chairman Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., emphasized the program’s core purpose during floor debate.
“The purpose of TRIA is spelled out in the original law,” Hill said.
“The law states that TRIA is designed to provide for a transparent system of shared public and private compensation for insured losses resulting from acts of terrorism in order to protect consumers. That’s the goal here: to give policyholders access to the financial protection they need and the confidence they need to build skyscrapers, sports venues, and malls, and employ workers that drive our economy,” Hill added.
Rep. Mike Flood, the bill’s lead sponsor, highlighted the need for updates alongside the extension.
“This legislation would reauthorize TRIA, the program established by Congress in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, through 2034,” Flood said.
“We are so fortunate that we have never seen a TRIA claim in the program’s entire history, and I hope that we never, ever see one. However, if this program is going to continue to exist with a public backstop, we should ensure we update its charter to protect taxpayers in the event of future claims, and we should work to ensure the certification process is transparent,” Flood added.
The bill extends the program’s authorization for seven additional years beyond its current expiration at the end of 2027.
It also raises the threshold for certifying an act of terrorism for program purposes — increasing the minimum insured losses required from $5 million to $10 million beginning in 2029.
Additionally, the legislation provides explicit statutory authority for the Treasury Department to issue public notifications regarding its process for determining whether an event qualifies as terrorism under the program.
TRIA operates as a public-private partnership.
Insurers retain responsibility for initial losses, with the federal government stepping in only for exceptionally large events that exceed defined retention levels.
No claims have ever been paid out under the program since its inception, a point frequently cited by supporters as evidence of its role in deterring market disruptions rather than serving as a frequent payout mechanism.
Business and industry groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Bankers Association, have backed the reauthorization.
They argue that predictable terrorism coverage supports lending for commercial real estate projects, construction activity, and the operation of large venues and infrastructure that form key parts of the national economy.
Without reauthorization, analysts have warned of potential pullbacks by insurers in offering terrorism coverage, which could raise costs or limit availability for businesses in major metropolitan areas and high-profile sites.
Supporters of the legislation have framed the updates as prudent adjustments that strengthen taxpayer safeguards while preserving the program’s core function.
Raising the certification threshold, for instance, means federal involvement would require a higher bar of insured losses, reducing the likelihood of smaller events triggering government participation.
This sector supports millions of jobs in construction, property management, retail, hospitality, and related industries across the country.
Large-scale projects such as office towers, stadiums, shopping centers, and industrial facilities often rely on the availability of comprehensive insurance packages that include terrorism coverage.
Lawmakers and industry representatives have noted that terrorism risk remains difficult to model using traditional actuarial methods due to its unpredictable nature.
The federal backstop has helped maintain a functioning private market for this coverage since the immediate aftermath of the 2001 attacks, when reinsurers largely withdrew from the space.
H.R. 7128 does not expand the scope of the program or alter its fundamental structure as a temporary backstop.
Instead, it focuses on extending the existing framework with targeted reforms aimed at greater transparency and fiscal accountability.
The bill now advances to the Senate, where a companion measure has also been introduced.
According to the New York Post, Buckingham Palace got involved on Monday,
March 18, after a Russian news organization shared an “announcement” that Charles, 75, had died.
“We are happy to confirm that The King is continuing with official and private business,” the palace shared in a statement to the Russian state-run TASS news agency on Monday.
The Russian media outlet’s original report replicated correspondence from the palace, even including the monarch’s official seal. “The following announcement is made by royal communications. The King passed away unexpectedly yesterday afternoon,” the fake statement read.
Royal Family Scandals Through the Years: Love Triangles, Step Downs and More
Speculation about Charles’ health has ramped up amid reports that the BBC is preparing for a major announcement regarding the royal family. While some fans believe that the news will be about Princess Kate Middleton and her whereabouts following her abdominal surgery, other rumors suggest the palace will offer an on Charles’ cancer battle.
King Charles III Is Alive After Death Report Samir Hussein – Pool/Getty Images Buckingham Palace announced on February 5 that Charles was diagnosed with “a form of cancer” after he underwent treatment for an enlarged prostate. While further specifics were not given about the king’s illness, royal reporter Omid Scobie later confirmed Charles does not have prostate cancer.
“His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which
time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties,” the palace noted last month. “Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.”
Days later, Charles addressed his diagnosis for the first time in a personal statement released via Buckingham Palace.
Prince Harry and Father King Charles III’s Ups and Downs Through the Years: A Timeline
“I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good wishes I have received in recent days,” he said on February 10. “As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement.”
Charles said it was “heartening to hear” from others with similar stories. “My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is all the greater as a result of my own personal experience,” he concluded.
While Charles has kept his public-facing duties to a minimum, he has hosted various meetings at Buckingham Palace while other royal family members have attended events in his place outside the residence.
A bipartisan coalition of state lawmakers is demanding a fresh investigation into the Zorro Ranch, a sprawling 7,600-acre estate south of Santa Fe formerly owned by Jeffrey Epstein. Despite the property’s long-standing connection to Epstein’s activities, local officials and critics express frustration over what they characterize as an incomplete initial inquiry by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The proposed new scrutiny aims to conduct a more thorough forensic review and excavation to determine if critical evidence was overlooked following Epstein’s death in federal custody in 2019.
Forensic accounting experts suggest that tracing these financial pathways is essential to
understanding how the network maintained its influence. Although some testimony has mentioned prominent figures such as Donald Trump, legal analysts caution that these allegations remain disputed and unsubstantiated in court.
The renewed interest in Zorro Ranch and Epstein’s financial records reflects a
broader movement by victims and advocates to seek accountability. These efforts highlight a persistent dissatisfaction with the original institutional responses and a desire to address the systemic failures that enabled Epstein’s actions. While it remains uncertain whether new investigations will yield significant findings, the case continues to prompt intense scrutiny of the legal and financial systems that allowed such a network to flourish.
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