President Joe Biden acknowledges seventh grandchild for first time

WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden has publicly acknowledged a seventh grandchild for the first time.

The four-year-old girl, Navy, is the child of Mr Biden’s son, Hunter, who recently settled a court battle over child support.

“Jill and I only want what is best for all of our grandchildren, including Navy,” President Biden said on Friday.

The president had been criticised by both Republicans and Democrats over his previous decision not to recognise her.

In a statement to People magazine acknowledging the child for the first time, Mr Biden said it was “not a political issue, it’s a family matter”.

He added that his son was working with Navy’s mother, Lunden Roberts, to “foster a relationship that is in the best interests of their daughter, preserving her privacy as much as possible going forward”.

Hunter Biden’s paternity of Navy was established through DNA testing after Ms Roberts sued for child support.

He wrote about his encounter with Ms Roberts in his 2021 memoir, saying it came while he was deep in addiction to alcohol and drugs.

“I had no recollection of our encounter,” he wrote. “That’s how little connection I had with anyone. I was a mess, but a mess I’ve taken responsibility for.”

President Biden had come under increasing criticism from Republicans over his failure to mention Navy, with some claiming it was at odds with his public image as a family man.

House Republican Elise Stefanik accused Mr Biden of “cold, heartless, selfish and cowardly” behaviour following the conclusion of the legal battle in June.

“Every American knows that Joe Biden should have done the right thing years ago and acknowledged all of his grandchildren,” she told the Daily Mail.

In April, Mr Biden said he was “crazy” about his six grandchildren and he spoke to them every day.

Hunter Biden has four other children, including a son Beau – named after the president’s late son who died in 2015.

Courtesy: BBC