President Joe Biden acknowledged his granddaughter, four-year-old Navy Joan Roberts, for the first time in an interview published Friday.
The president has taken pains to avoid mentioning the existence of Hunter Biden’s out-of-wedlock daughter for years. He has repeatedly spoken about his grandchildren without including Navy Joan Roberts’ name, and has avoided questions on the subject. The president and First Lady Jill Biden have also left Navy out of their Christmas stocking decorations during their time at the White House.
“Our son Hunter and Navy’s 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,” Biden said in an exclusive statement to People. (RELATED: ‘I Have Six Grandchildren‘: Biden Leaves Out Hunter’s Illegitimate Child While Speaking To Kids)
“This is not a political issue, it’s a family matter,” Biden added. “Jill and I only want what is best for all of our grandchildren, including Navy.”
US President Joe Biden lifts grandson Beau, the son of Hunter Biden, as his granddaughter Maisy watches, after Biden returned to Washington, DC on June 30, 2022. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
The chid support dispute between Lunden Roberts and Hunter Biden played a role in how the president was handling his relationship with his granddaughter, an unnamed source familiar with the situation told the outlet.
The president’s son and Lunden Roberts recently settled a child support case after years of battling in court. Hunter Biden first denied being the father of Navy Joan Roberts, but that was disproven through a paternity test.
“You have to remember there were some fairly contentious legal proceedings between Navy’s parents happening until just a few weeks ago. As grandparents, the Bidens are following Hunter’s lead,” the source told People. “They are — and have been — giving Hunter and Lunden the space and time to figure things out.”
“Thousands of families have faced similar circumstances, working it out in private, versus the spotlight,” the source added, according to the outlet. “At the center is a 4-year-old girl and everyone wants what is best for her, including all of her grandparents.”
Hunter Biden has never seen his daughter and has never expressed any desire to do so, Lunden Roberts’ lawyer, Clint Lancaster, told CNBC in 2022.