Donald Trump pardons Devon Archer, Hunter Biden's former business associate

In a high-profile move, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday granted a pardon to Devon Archer, a former business associate of Hunter Biden, citing what he described as unfair treatment in Archer's prosecution.

"Many people have asked me to do this. They think he was treated very unfairly. And I looked at the records, studied the records, and he was a victim of a crime, as far as I'm concerned. So we're going to undo that… Congratulations, Devon," Trump said before officially signing the pardon.

Archer, who was involved in business dealings with Hunter Biden at Burisma Holdings, was convicted in 2018 for his role in defrauding a Native American tribe. The scheme involved issuing and selling fraudulent tribal bonds, leading to his conviction.

Trump's political advisor William Scharf emphasised that Archer's legal troubles intensified after he began cooperating with congressional investigators, providing testimony related to Hunter Biden and his family's business dealings.

"We have a pardon for Devon Archer. Devon Archer was a former business partner of the Biden family," Scharf said. "He was prosecuted relating to a fraud investigation, but notably, the tone and tenor of that prosecution changed dramatically after he began to cooperate with congressional investigators and serve as a witness against Hunter Biden and the Biden family."

"We believe that was an injustice. And therefore, we're asking you to pardon," Scharf added.

Archer reportedly met with Trump over the weekend at the NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia, where he received what he described as "very encouraging words" from the president.

The pardon marks another significant development in the ongoing political and legal battles surrounding figures connected to the Biden family, adding fuel to ongoing debates about the justice system and political influence in high-profile cases.