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Canadian Woman Who Slapped Teen Over Trump Merch Deported

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Image via Pixabay

A Canadian woman who admitted slapping a teenage girl during a confrontation over patriotic clothing at the Jersey Shore has been ordered deported after pleading guilty to a reduced assault charge.

Kaitlyn Tracey, 33, had overstayed her visa and was living in the United States illegally when the July 3 clash erupted on the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk.

An immigration judge in Texas ordered Tracey removed from the country Tuesday, shortly before she entered a guilty plea in the New Jersey criminal case.

Tracey appeared by phone from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Texas for the proceeding in Ocean County.

Guilty Plea Ends Viral Assault Case

Under a plea agreement, Tracey pleaded guilty to one count of simple assault.

Prosecutors dismissed the remaining charges, which included endangering the welfare of a child, harassment and obstruction.

Tracey received a one-day jail sentence with credit for time served. She had already spent several weeks in the Ocean County Jail before being transferred to federal immigration custody.

The criminal case may be over, but its consequences are not. Tracey now faces removal to Canada and is expected to be barred from legally returning to the United States for an extended period.

Patriotic Shirt Sparked Boardwalk Confrontation

The altercation unfolded on the evening of July 3, when Tracey approached a group of four teenagers at Point Pleasant Beach.

Authorities said the dispute escalated after she confronted one of the teens, who was wearing a โ€œUSA 250โ€ tank top marking Americaโ€™s approaching 250th anniversary.

Video that quickly spread across social media appeared to show Tracey slapping the girl across the face during the argument.

The footage drew national attention and prompted action from local police and federal immigration authorities.

After Traceyโ€™s arrest, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that she had remained in the country after her visa expired. The agency later dubbed her the โ€œMaple Leaf Menaceโ€ in public statements.

Defense Calls Clash โ€œUnfortunateโ€

Defense attorney Francis Hodgson told the court that Tracey had otherwise been a productive, law-abiding resident.

โ€œShe arrived here on a passport some years ago. She met her husband and didnโ€™t leave, but while she was here, she maintained employment and was a productive member of society,โ€ Hodgson said.

He called the confrontation โ€œunfortunateโ€ and said Tracey had accepted responsibility for her actions.

โ€œ[Tracey has] taken responsibility for her role in it, and this is a reasonable judgment … consistent with other similar-type matters that happen every day during the summer on this boardwalk,โ€ Hodgson told the court.

Victimโ€™s Family: โ€œThank Goodness For Camerasโ€

Prosecutors said the victimโ€™s family supported the plea agreement.

The teenโ€™s parent attended the hearing remotely but did not speak publicly. Judge Guy P. Ryan instead read portions of the familyโ€™s victim impact statement into the record.

โ€œThe parents recite that, โ€˜Thank goodness for cameras and cell phones to have documented this incident,โ€™โ€ Ryan said.

The judge said the family came from an immigrant background and described themselves as proud Americans who had been celebrating Independence Day when the confrontation occurred.

โ€œThe notoriety and publicity of this matter has indicated that theyโ€™re proud of their country, love their country, they have core values and refer to the history of their family,โ€ Ryan said.

He added that the victim and her parents โ€œlook forward to justice being servedโ€ and were grateful to the agencies involved in the case.

Deportation Now Looms

Following her arrest, Tracey was initially held at the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility in Newark. She was later transferred to an ICE processing center in Laredo, Texas, as her immigration proceedings continued.

Officials have not announced when she will be removed to Canada.

Ryan said during sentencing that the deportation order is expected to prevent Tracey from legally returning to the United States for โ€œa very long time.โ€

Husbandโ€™s Anti-Trump Posts Resurface

The case has also brought new scrutiny to Traceyโ€™s husband, Matt Geroni, who did not attend Tuesdayโ€™s hearing.

Geroni previously posted TikTok videos criticizing conditions at Delaney Hall and asking supporters to help secure his wifeโ€™s release, even if that meant her deportation to Canada.

His own social media history later became part of the controversy. Resurfaced posts appeared to show Geroni wishing death on President Donald Trump and members of Trumpโ€™s family.

In one post, Geroni wrote that he was โ€œpraying the entire Trump family gets cancer,โ€ including the presidentโ€™s children. After an attempted assassination of Trump, he wrote in another post: โ€œPraying the next assassination attempt works.โ€

Dan Bongino Returns To Fox News Following Time In Trump Admin

Dan Bongino is officially back at Fox News.

After nearly a year as deputy director of the FBI under President Donald Trump, Bongino has returned to Fox as a contributor, according to a Monday afternoon report from The New York Times media reporter Michael Grynbaum.

His comeback was announced during the Monday night episode of Sean Hannityโ€™s show at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Dan Bongino via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Grynbaum noted that Bongino has expressed regret at times about stepping away from his former life in media. Just weeks into the FBI role, he admitted on Fox & Friends that he missed what he left behind.

โ€œI gave up everything for this,โ€ Bongino said at the time.

First Appearance Back Focuses on High-Profile Disappearance

Bonginoโ€™s first major appearance after returning centered on the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC Today co-host Savannah Guthrie.

Speaking on Hannity Monday night, Bongino outlined three troubling possibilities in the case, emphasizing that investigators are still operating with very limited evidence.

โ€œThe first [possibility] would be, obviously, it’s a kidnapping. That was an intended kidnapping for a ransom paymentโ€ฆโ€ he said.

He then explained a second scenario โ€” that the situation may have spiraled out of another crime entirely.

โ€œThe second possibility would be this was just a crime that went awry. Someone was at the house, maybe it was a burglary, maybe something went bad, and you’ve got some bad actors committing another crime unrelated โ€” in other words, requesting a ransom for something you didn’t do just to take advantage of a situation like this.โ€

Bonginoโ€™s third possibility raised an even more unsettling idea: that the disappearance may not involve a kidnapping at all.

The third possibility, he said, is that Guthrieโ€™s disappearance could have resulted from a medical emergency or another non-criminal event that was later misunderstood or misrepresented.

Bongino Highlights Lack of Evidence

Bongino pointed to the complete absence of digital and forensic indicators โ€” no DNA, no license plate hits, no cellphone activity, and no surveillance leads โ€” as a major reason investigators are struggling.

He explained that when authorities cannot locate someone within the first few days, it can suggest either extremely sophisticated perpetrators or something else entirely.

โ€œThe story youโ€™ve been told, or you may have believed may not be the story,โ€ he said.

While Bongino declined to push one theory more strongly than the others, he emphasized that the lack of proof-of-life communication is unusual for legitimate ransom kidnappings.

He also referenced commentary from veteran FBI Special Agent Lance Leising, noting that real ransom cases typically involve rapid contact and early confirmation that the victim is alive โ€” patterns missing here.

Multi-Agency Search Continues

Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Arizona home earlier this month, triggering a multi-agency investigation that now includes the FBI.

As the search intensified, Savannah Guthrie issued an emotional public plea, describing the situation as an โ€œhour of desperation.โ€

Authorities are also investigating an alleged ransom note tied to the disappearance, though the deadline referenced in the note passed Monday night without proof of life or resolution.

Back to Media โ€” and Still on Rumble

Bongino will continue hosting his podcast on Rumble, which he recently rebooted after leaving the FBI in December.

Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham said at the time she wasnโ€™t surprised by Bonginoโ€™s departure, noting that he โ€œloved his lucrative media lifeโ€ and wanted to โ€œget back to it.โ€

President Trump joined Bonginoโ€™s first show back on Rumble.

The president made headlines during his appearance when he saidย Republicansย should โ€œnationalizeโ€ the voting processย in order to block โ€œcrookedโ€ Democrat-led states from allowing illegal immigrants to vote.

โ€œThese people were brought to our country to vote, and they vote illegally,โ€ Trump said. โ€œAnd itโ€™s amazing the Republicans arenโ€™t tougher on it. The Republicans should say, โ€˜We want to take over, we should take over the voting in at least 15 places.โ€™โ€

The White House initially sought to soften Trumpโ€™s remarks, but the president doubled down on Tuesday, arguing that federal intervention could be warranted if states fail to administer elections fairly.

โ€œIf states canโ€™t count the votes legally and honestly, then somebody else should take over,โ€ Trump said. โ€œThe federal government should get involved.โ€

Trump framed his argument as a response to what he described as โ€œcorruptionโ€ at the state and local level, particularly in more than a dozen states he has criticized in recent months.

In response, Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) said he plans to introduce a Senate resolution on Monday denouncing any effort by a president to โ€œnationalizeโ€ or โ€œtake overโ€ state-run election systems ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Cuban Regime Finally Loses a Longtime Fugitive: Joanne โ€œAssataโ€ Shakur Dies in Havana

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Havana, Cuba โ€” On September 25, 2025, Cubaโ€™s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Joanne Deborah Byron โ€” better known by her aliases Joanne Chesimard and Assata Shakur โ€” died in Havana at the age of 78 due to health complications and the rigors of old age.

This news brings to a close a decades-long saga in which a convicted murderer escaped justice, was shielded by a hostile foreign regime, and became a symbol for radical causes.


A Fugitiveโ€™s Origin: From Violent Crime to Escape to Cuba

In 1977, Chesimard was convicted on multiple serious charges including first-degree murder, armed robbery, and other felonies after a 1973 shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike that left State Trooper Werner Foerster dead.

She escaped prison in 1979, spent years underground, and resurfaced in 1984 under asylum in Cuba โ€” a regime that refused U.S. extradition requests.

For decades, the United States and New Jersey authorities pushed Cuba to hand her over. She carried the dubious distinction of being the first woman ever placed on the FBIโ€™s Most Wanted Terrorists list, with a $1 million reward for her capture.


A Death Without Accountability

Her passing in Havana presents a bitter irony: after decades of immunity facilitated by a foreign government, she dies free โ€” far from the prison cell where she was supposed to serve life in the U.S.

New Jersey officials immediately expressed outrage. They reiterated that justice was never fully served for Trooper Foersterโ€™s family.

Cubaโ€™s complicity in harboring Chesimard has long been roundly condemned by American leaders. Senator Marco Rubio recently denounced Havana for providing โ€œa safe haven for terrorists and criminals, including fugitives from the United States.โ€

What She Represented โ€” and What the U.S. Must Learn

For defenders of law and order, her story is a cautionary tale of diplomatic failure and ideological double standards.

  • Rule of Law Must Be Absolute: A convicted cop killer escaping and living with impunity is a stain on the integrity of the justice system.
  • Foreign Regimes Should Not Shield Criminals: Cubaโ€™s refusal to extradite Chesimard fashioned her into a political symbol, rather than merely a criminal. That sets a dangerous precedent.
  • Consistency in Foreign Policy Matters: If the U.S. does not forcefully demand accountability from regimes that shelter fugitives, it weakens its moral and strategic footing.

Now that she has died abroad, the question of bringing her remains home may arise. But more importantly, the memory of Trooper Foerster โ€” his sacrifice and service โ€” must remain central. And the mission remains: to hold foreign governments accountable when they interfere with American justice.

Steve Bannon Pleads Guilty To Defrauding MAGA Donors

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Thor Brรธdreskift / Nordiske Mediedager, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Steve Bannon, the former chief strategist for the Trump White House, pleaded guilty to defrauding donors who thought they were giving money to help build a wall at the United Statesโ€™ southern border on Tuesday.

Bannonย had faced five felony counts and up to fifteen years in prison. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Bannon pled guilty to one count and received a three-year conditional discharge. He will face no jail time so long as he does not re-offend.

The longtime ally of Presidentย Donald Trumpย had previously faced federal charges pertaining to the same scheme. In an indictment unsealed in 2020, Bannon was accused of soliciting millions of dollars to build the wall and the funneling the money to himself and his associates.ย 

Audrey Strauss, the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York at the time, said in a statement that Bannon and his co-conspirators had โ€œdefrauded hundreds of thousands of donors, capitalizing on their interest in funding a border wall to raise millions of dollars, under the false pretense that all of that money would be spent on construction.โ€

Bannon received a presidential pardon from Trump on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, the final full day of Trumpโ€™s first term in office. In 2022, the Manhattan district attorneyโ€™s office charged him over the same scheme.

Last month, Bannon openly declared war on billionaire businessman Elon Musk ahead of Trump’s second inauguration.

In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, as highlighted by Mediaite, Bannon sharply criticized Musk, who was tapped by Trump to co-lead the โ€œDepartment of Government Efficiency.โ€

โ€œI will have Elon Musk run out of here by Inauguration Day,โ€ Bannon said. โ€œHe is a truly evil guy, a very bad guy. I made it my personal thing to take this guy down.โ€

War Department Takes Out Cartel-Owned Drone

By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Pete Hegseth, CC BY-SA 2.0

On Wednesday morning, the White House confirmed drone activity from Mexican drug cartels caused the sudden closure of U.S. airspace over El Paso, Texas.

In a statement toย Newsweekย the White House said: “Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones.

“The FAA and DOW have determined there is no threat to commercial travel.”

A Trump administration official told Fox News that the initial lockdown came in response to “Mexican cartel drones” that breached U.S. airspace. The FAA had announced Wednesday morning that all flights to and from El Paso were being grounded, including commercial, cargo and general aviation. The restriction was initially set to be effective from February 10 at 11:30 p.m. MST to February 20 at 11:30 p.m. MST.

“Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones. The FAA and DOW have determined there is no threat to commercial travel,” the official told Fox News.

Restrictions set earlier by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been lifted and authorities say there remains no threat to commercial air travel.

“The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal,” the FAA said on its X account.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Appeals Court Rejects Trump Request To Stay Criminal Sentencing

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Just in…

The New York Court of Appeals has denied a motion filed byย President-elect Donald Trumpย to stay the Jan. 10 sentencing in the New York v. Trump case.

New York Judge Juan Merchan set Trump’s sentencing date in the case earlier this month, ahead of hisย inauguration as presidentย on Jan. 20.ย 

Trump filed a motion to stay the Jan. 10 sentencing with the New York State Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. 

The New York Court of Appeals denied Trump’s request Thursday morning. The status of his appeal at the U.S. Supreme Court is pending.

Trump remains set to be sentenced on Friday, Jan. 10, at 9:30 a.m., pending the Supreme Court’s decision. He plans to attend virtually.ย 

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Florida Reporter Suspended After Texting MAGA Congressman After Kirk Shooting

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No room for this behavior…

A reporter with a popular Florida political website was immediately suspended after attempting to capitalize on the shooting of political activist Charlie Kirk.

The 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder was speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday when theย shootingย occurred. Video taken by students attending his speech shows Kirk appearing to have been shot in the neck after the sound of a single gunshot was heard. Kirk was later pronounced dead after being rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Kirk was a popular figure in conservative media circles and a prominent supporter of Presidentย Donald Trump, encouraging the young voters in his organization to vote for Trump during his presidential campaigns and speaking at theย Republican National Conventionย in Milwaukee last year.

News of the shootingย stunnedย politicians and commentators on both sides of the aisle, who offered prayers for his family and condemnations of political violence.

Wednesday afternoon, after news of the shooting had spread but before it was known that Kirk had died,ย A.G. Gancarski, a reporter with theย Florida Politicsย website, texted Rep.ย Randy Fineย (R-FL), a Republicanย electedย to Congress earlier this year in a special election.

According to a screenshot posted by Fine, Gancarski asked him โ€œif Charlie Kirk getting shot affects your position on campus carry?โ€

โ€œIf gun control had been in play could the tragedy have been avoided?โ€ Gancarski added.

โ€œI learned that Charlie Kirk was shot 23 minutes ago. I am repulsed that you would even think to ask a political question when all anyone should be doing is praying for his survival,โ€ Fine wrote back. โ€œNever contact me again.โ€

Fine shared a screenshot of the texts on social media along with a caption that read, โ€œYou donโ€™t hate the media enough.โ€

Less than an hour later,ย Peter Schorsch, the founder and publisher of Florida Politics, posted that he had โ€œimmediately suspended [Gancarski] from his position with [Florida Politics].โ€

Schorsch then noted that he had โ€œurged [Gancarski] to go dark on social media for the time being while we address this situation,โ€ and invited anyone with comments or questions to email him. Gancarskiโ€™s account on X has been set to private and is no longer publicly viewable.

Another X userย postedย a screenshot of a tweet Gancarski had purportedly sent to Fine before deleting it and locking down his account. In the screenshot, Gancarski replied to Fine that it was a โ€œvalid questionโ€ because Fine โ€œran a bill that would have allowed โ€˜campus carry’โ€ as a state senator, but had left the legislature by the time of theย April 17 shootingย at Florida State University.

โ€œI stand by the question,โ€ Gancarski wrote. โ€œTragedy is ultimately what tests policy positions.โ€

Mediaite and other outlats have not yet confirmed the authenticity of this screenshot, but it does accurately display Gancarskiโ€™s username on X and most recent profile photo. Mediaite reached out to Schorsch for comment but did not receive a reply.

Screenshot via Mediaite

Susie Wilesโ€™ Lawyer Denies Approving FBI Recording

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White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles delivers remarks during the Memorial Service for Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Sunday, September 21, 2025.(Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

An attorney representing White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles in 2023 is disputing claims that he agreed to allow the FBI to record a phone call with his client without her knowledge, according to a report from Axios.

โ€œIf I ever pulled a stunt like that I wouldnโ€™t โ€“ and shouldnโ€™t โ€“ have a license to practice law,โ€ the unidentified attorney told Axios. โ€œIโ€™m as shocked as Susie.โ€

The denial comes amid renewed scrutiny over the FBIโ€™s investigative tactics during Special Counsel Jack Smithโ€™s probes into President Donald Trump ahead of the 2024 election.

Wiles, who managed Trumpโ€™s 2024 presidential campaign and now serves as White House chief of staff, was reportedly stunned to learn that the FBI subpoenaed her phone records in 2022 and 2023 as part of those investigations. According to Axios, she told associates, โ€œI am in shock.โ€

Reuters first reported the subpoenas, which were issued during Smithโ€™s investigations into Trumpโ€™s efforts to challenge the 2020 election results and his handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.

According to Fox News, the records obtained through subpoena included toll data โ€” such as phone numbers and the dates and times of calls โ€” but did not include the content of conversations.

The controversy escalated after two FBI officials reportedly claimed that agents recorded a 2023 phone call between Wiles and her attorney. The officials alleged that the attorney was aware the call was being recorded and gave consent, though Wiles herself was not informed.

However, the attorney has โ€œcategoricallyโ€ denied consenting to any recording, Axios reporter Marc Caputo wrote on X. Wiles reportedly believes her lawyer and suspects that Biden-era FBI officials may have misrepresented what occurred.

Separately, Fox News Digital reported that at least 10 FBI employees were fired Wednesday in connection with the matter.

The developments have drawn strong reactions from Trump allies and conservative commentators.

Trump 2024 co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita wrote on X that he knows the attorney and believes him, calling the situation โ€œa violation of basic constitutional rights every American hasโ€ and urging accountability.

OutKick founder Clay Travis also weighed in, writing, โ€œSo the lawyer Bidenโ€™s FBI eavesdropped on during a call with Susie Wiles said he had no idea it happened. This is a huge story. Bidenโ€™s FBI spied on Trumpโ€™s campaign manager in the 2024 campaign.โ€

In a separate statement obtained by Fox News Digital, Patel โ€” whose phone records were also reportedly subpoenaed โ€” criticized prior FBI leadership.

โ€œIt is outrageous and deeply alarming that the previous FBI leadership secretly subpoenaed my own phone records โ€” along with those of now White House chief of staff Susie Wiles โ€” using flimsy pretexts and burying the entire process in prohibited case files designed to evade all oversight,โ€ Patel said.

Trump Considers Labeling Tesla Vandals As Domestic Terrorists

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Tesla

After a string of attacks targeting Elon Musk’s Tesla company, President Donald Trump is considering labeling the vandals as domestic terrorists.

On Wednesday, when a reporter asked Trump about the issue, saying,  โ€œSome say they should be labeled domestic terrorists,โ€ Trump responded. โ€œI will do that. Iโ€™ll do it. Iโ€™m gonna stop โ€˜em (if) we catch anybody doing it. Because theyโ€™re harming a great American company.โ€

President Trump lined Tesla vehicles up on the White House driveway as he was accompanied by Tesla CEO Elon Musk while purchasing the Tesla S.

โ€œLet me tell you, you do it to Tesla, and you do it to any company, weโ€™re going to catch you, and โ€ฆ youโ€™re going to go through hell,โ€ Trump added. โ€œWhite House spokesperson Harrison Fields said โ€œongoing and heinous acts of violence against Tesla by radical Leftist activists are nothing short of domestic terror,โ€ .

Although Trump stated he was not allowed to drive while he was president, he bought a Tesla S, saying he purchased it for his staff.

Earlier this month, authorities responded to multiple Tesla superchargers being set ablaze in Massachusetts. (RELATED: Trump Hater Accidentally Sets Himself On Fire While Trying To Destroy Tesla Station)

A total of seven chargers were damaged, police said. 

On Saturday, NBC News noted, โ€œThere have been at least a dozen [acts] of vandalism against Tesla vehicles, dealerships or charging stations in recent weeks, according to police and local reports.โ€ (RELATED: Woman In Custody After Explosives Discovered At Tesla Dealership)

The incidents come months after a Tesla cybertruck exploded in front of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas.

U.S. Army soldier drove the Cybertruck, which he rented from Turo, outside of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Monday morning. Upon arriving, the vehicle was detonated by explosives in the car.

Investigators found fireworks, gasoline canisters and camping fuel in the remains of the vehicle. The soldier was believed to have fatally shot himself shortly before the explosion.

On the day of the attack, Musk commented on X that the individual โ€œpicked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attackโ€ because the โ€œCybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards.โ€

Report: Trump Wonโ€™t Rule Out Hunter Biden Pardon If Elected

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President Joe Biden hugs his family during the 59th Presidential Inauguration ceremony in Washington, Jan. 20, 2021. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took the oath of office on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. (DOD Photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Carlos M. Vazquez II)

Former President Trump said Thursday that he would not rule out pardoningย Hunter Bidenย if he wins Novemberโ€™s election.

โ€œI wouldnโ€™t take it off the books. See, unlikeย Joe Biden,ย despite what theyโ€™ve done to me, where theyโ€™ve gone after me so viciously, despite what โ€” and Hunterโ€™s a bad boy. Thereโ€™s no question about it. Heโ€™s been a bad boy,โ€ Trump told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.

Hunter Biden, the son of President Biden, wasย found guilty in Juneย of lying about his use of illicit drugs when applying to purchase a gun six years ago and unlawfully possessing it thereafter, marking the first criminal conviction of a sitting presidentโ€™s child.

A federal judge agreed to push back Hunter Bidenโ€™s sentencing to Dec. 4. 

Hunter Biden in September pleaded guilty to all nine federal tax charges he faced, staving off his second criminal trial this year, just before it was set to begin.

President Biden has repeatedly said he would not pardon his son before leaving office.