Hunter Biden was convicted this week by a jury in Delaware on a trio of federal felony gun charges, which calls into question the prior proclamations of his innocence from his father, President Joe Biden.

It was just over a year ago that the fervently anti-gun Democratic president adamantly insisted that his now-convicted son had "done nothing wrong" and was a trustworthy individual, according to Fox News.

Yet, the first son was just convicted of lying on the federal gun purchase form about his illicit drug addiction and of briefly possessing a firearm as an admitted drug addict despite being a federally prohibited possessor.

Biden proclaimed his son's innocence last year, asserted he could be trusted

NBC News reported in May 2023 that President Biden sat for an interview with MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle, during which he was asked about the years-long federal investigation into his son's plethora of alleged criminal misdeeds and rumors that Hunter could soon be indicted on multiple firearms and tax law violations.

"First of all, my son has done nothing wrong," Biden falsely claimed at the time. "I trust him. I have faith in him."

Asked how the possibility of criminal charges against his son impacted his presidency, Biden replied, "It impacts my presidency by making me feel proud of him."

President still stands by his convicted son

Fast-forward about 13 months to Hunter Biden's conviction on three federal felony gun charges, and ABC News reported that President Biden still professes his love and pride for his son but has now dropped the incorrect assertion that he is innocent of all wrongdoing.

"As I said last week, I am the President, but I am also a Dad. Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today," Biden said in a post-verdict statement that mirrored his remarks at the start of the trial. "So many families who have had loved ones battle addiction understand the feeling of pride seeing someone you love come out the other side and be so strong and resilient in recovery."

"As I also said last week, I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal," he added. "Jill and I will always be there for Hunter and the rest of our family with our love and support. Nothing will ever change that."

The outlet noted that the president has repeatedly vowed that he won't issue a pardon for his criminally convicted son -- though it is unclear if that promise to not clear Hunter's criminal record will extend to not commuting his son's eventual sentence following the guilty verdict on three felony charges.

First son convicted of lying about drug use to purchase gun, still faces trial on tax charges

According to the Associated Press, Hunter Biden nearly dodged accountability on the gun charges when he was offered a plea deal by federal prosecutors last year that would have deferred prosecution and granted him broad immunity if he pled guilty to tax law misdemeanors -- only for that deal to quickly fall apart under the scrutiny of a federal judge.

With the plea deal scuttled, Hunter was subsequently charged -- and has now been convicted by a jury -- of three felony offenses from 2018 that include lying about his drug use on the federal gun purchase form, lying to a federally licensed firearms dealer, and illegally possessing a firearm as a prohibited person due to his admitted illicit drug use and addiction.

He faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in federal prison and a steep fine, though given his status as a first-time offender it is highly unlikely that he will receive such a substantial sentence, and it remains possible that he could avoid any jail time altogether.

Hunter is not out of the legal woods yet, however, as he faces a separate trial in September on multiple federal charges related to his prior nonpayment of more than $1.4 million in owed taxes -- charges that had been dropped or reduced to misdemeanors in the previously scrapped plea deal.