Newly released federal documents suggest Hunter Biden secured help from the Obama-era State Department to assist a Burisma Holdings subsidiary in Italy. At the time, his father, Joe Biden, was serving as vice president.
The Ukrainian energy company, known for its ties to political elites, had been paying Hunter a generous salary reportedly tied to his access to powerful U.S. officials.
The documents reveal Hunter contacted then-U.S. Ambassador to Italy, John Phillips, in 2016 to request assistance setting up a meeting for Burisma’s geothermal arm with the president of Italy’s Tuscany region. Phillips responded favorably, indicating his team would support the effort.
This communication occurred while Hunter was under contract with Burisma, raising fresh concerns about leveraging political influence.
In his reply, Ambassador Phillips acknowledged his connection to Tuscany’s president Enrico Rossi and offered limited but notable assistance. He designated a senior commercial officer to help make contact, indicating a willingness to find overlapping interests between the U.S. government and Burisma, per the New York Post.
Hunter’s initial letter to the embassy came just a month prior. In it, he requested help facilitating meetings for Burisma representatives and referred to a recent stay in Rome. According to Phillips, the visit in question aligned with then-Vice President Joe Biden’s trip to the ambassador’s residence, during which Hunter was also present.
A spokesperson for Hunter Biden claimed the mention of the Rome visit was merely a gesture of gratitude for hospitality. Nevertheless, the letter and response draw scrutiny over whether the younger Biden was using his proximity to power to benefit his foreign business dealings.
The resurfaced documents bolster long-standing Republican accusations that Hunter Biden used his father’s name to secure lucrative foreign contracts — especially in Ukraine and China. The issue has become less politically pressing since Joe Biden left office in January, but questions about ethics and influence remain.
Hunter Biden joined Burisma’s board in 2014 under owner Mykola Zlochevsky, who aimed to repair the company’s image after Ukraine’s political upheaval. At the time, Joe Biden had taken the lead on the Obama administration’s Ukraine policy, creating potential conflicts of interest.
Joe Biden has denied any involvement with or knowledge of his son’s business dealings. However, photos, emails, and sworn testimony have indicated he did meet with several of Hunter’s international business partners.
As president, Joe Biden pardoned Hunter in December from multiple charges, including tax fraud and firearms violations. In January, he extended pardons to other family members, including his brother James Biden.
The GOP-led impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden was dropped in August 2024 after Biden exited the presidential race. However, House Republicans accused him of obstructing investigations and abusing power during his presidency.
Rep. James Comer (R-KY), chair of the House Oversight Committee, condemned the latest revelations, saying Hunter “exploited” his father’s influence and potentially violated federal law by acting as an unregistered foreign agent.
Although Hunter lacked experience in energy or foreign policy, his connections to the then-vice president helped open doors for Burisma. He later admitted in interviews that his last name likely played a significant role in getting the job.
One major unresolved issue is the timeline surrounding Joe Biden’s 2015-2016 effort to force Ukraine to fire prosecutor-general Viktor Shokin. Shokin’s office had been investigating Burisma’s founder for corruption before Biden leveraged $1 billion in U.S. aid to secure his removal.
While Democrats argue Shokin’s investigation had gone cold, records show U.S. officials were surprised by the move and even praised Shokin’s office before his dismissal. Sworn testimony from Devon Archer claims Hunter contacted his father during a Dubai meeting with Burisma execs shortly before the ouster.
Other documents suggest Joe Biden had dinner in 2015 with Vadym Pozharskyi, a Burisma board adviser. Though initially denied by his campaign, Hunter later confirmed the meeting in testimony.
Another mystery surrounds former heavyweight boxing champ and Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko. Hunter allegedly referred contacts to Klitschko, who was listed in laptop documents as a “core shareholder” of Burisma’s geothermal subsidiary. Klitschko has denied any role in the business.
