WASHINGTON, United States 鈥� US President Joe Biden on Friday publicly acknowledged his seventh grandchild for the first time 鈥� a four-year-old girl his son Hunter fathered with an Arkansas woman 鈥� after Republican criticism of his failure to recognize her.
鈥淭his is not a political issue, it鈥檚 a family matter,鈥� the president said in a statement to People magazine about the girl, Navy Joan Roberts.
鈥淥ur son Hunter and Navy鈥檚 mother, Lunden, are working together to foster a relationship that is in the best interests of their daughter, preserving her privacy as much as possible going forward.鈥�
Biden said he and his wife Jill 鈥渙nly want what is best for all of our grandchildren, including Navy.鈥�
People cited an unnamed source familiar with the situation as saying that a child support dispute between Hunter Biden and Lunden Roberts, settled last month, had affected how the First Couple interacted with their grandchild.
鈥淵ou have to remember there were some fairly contentious legal proceedings between Navy鈥檚 parents happening until just a few weeks ago. As grandparents, the Bidens are following Hunter鈥檚 lead,鈥� the source said.
The Democratic US president had come under tough criticism from Republicans who said his failure to mention Navy was at odds with his public image as a family man.
Earlier this month, top Republican lawmaker Elise Stefanik called Biden 鈥渃old, heartless, selfish, and cowardly鈥� for not acknowledging Navy, and labeled the situation 鈥渁n inexcusable disgrace鈥� in comments to the Daily Mail.
Hunter Biden鈥檚 paternity of the child was confirmed through DNA testing. She has reportedly not met her father or her grandparents.
Hunter Biden, who has battled drug addiction and is currently mired in legal trouble over tax charges and illegal possession of a firearm, has four other children.
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