The media cover-up of former President Joe Biden’s mental decline and son Hunter Biden’s legal issues, which started before his presidency, is finally being exposed. Critics have long accused mainstream media of shielding Biden from negative coverage, especially regarding his family’s finances and his cognitive decline, which was noticeable during a 2024 debate.

Reports suggest that efforts to protect Biden began as early as May 2019, during the Democratic primaries. Former Politico reporter Marc Caputo revealed that a story about Hunter Biden’s tax lien from his work with the Ukrainian company Burisma was killed by editors. Later, in October 2020, the New York Post broke the story about Hunter’s laptop, which Politico and other outlets avoided covering. Caputo recalled being instructed by Politico not to report on the laptop.

Tara Palmeri, who broke the story about Hunter Biden’s gun incident, said her outlet delayed the reporting, noting that such stories would’ve been published faster if they involved a Trump family member. The protection extended beyond Hunter to Joe Biden’s health, with reports of his tiredness and mistakes early in his presidency. Journalists also noted Biden’s appearance and behavior suggesting he was coached in his responses.