Biden is hardly the first president to deploy his pardon powers to benefit those close to him. But it was still a surprising call for a man who pledged to restore norms.

President Joe Biden has pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted on tax evasion and federal gun charges and is due for sentencing in December. Despite the White House's assurances last month that the president had no intentions of pardoning his son, the announcement came through on Sunday evening that he had pardoned him.