Biden belatedly acknowledges 7th grandchild, the daughter of son Hunter and an Arkansas woman

President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden arrive at Fort McNair, Sunday, June 25, 2023, in Washington. The Biden's are returning from Camp David. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden for the first time publicly acknowledged his seventh grandchild, a 4-year-old girl fathered by his son Hunter with an Arkansas woman, Lunden Roberts, in 2018. 

“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 a statement to People Magazine. 

Hunter Biden’s paternity was established by DNA testing after Roberts sued for child support, and the two parties recently resolved outstanding child support issues. The president’s son wrote about his encounter with Roberts in his 2021 memoir, saying it came while he was deep in addiction to alcohol and drugs, including crack cocaine. 

The president, who has made a commitment to family central to his public persona, has faced increasing criticism from political rivals and pundits for refusing to acknowledge the granddaughter.