Former Vice President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden said he used "poor judgment" in serving on the board of a Ukrainian gas company because it has become a political liability for his father.
"In retrospect, look, I think that it was poor judgment on my part, is that I think that it was poor judgment because I don't believe now, when I look back on it -- I know that there was, I did nothing wrong at all -- however, was it poor judgment to be in the middle of something that is -- it's a swamp -- in many ways? Yeah," Biden told ABC News anchor Amy Robach in an interview recorded over the weekend at his home in Los Angeles and released Tuesday.
"Did I do anything improper? No, not in any way, not in any way whatsoever," he said.
Asked if he had regrets, Biden replied, "What I regret is not taking into account that there would be a Rudy Giuliani and a President of the United States that would be listening to this ridiculous conspiracy idea, which has again been completely debunked by everyone."
The interview comes as the Biden campaign has sought to defuse questions about Hunter Biden's foreign business ties, which President Donald Trump and his Republican allies have claimed are corrupt. There is no evidence of wrongdoing by either Joe or Hunter Biden.
Trump, however, has pushed an unproven accusation that then-Vice President Biden improperly tried to help his son by pressuring the Ukrainian government to fire the country's prosecutor general. Hunter Biden served on the board of the Ukrainian natural gas company at the time.
The Obama administration, American allies, the International Monetary Fund and Ukrainian anti-corruption activists, among others, had all made clear that they were displeased with the performance of Viktor Shokin, who became prosecutor general in 2015.
Biden announced on Sunday that he will step down from his role on the board in the management company of a private equity fund backed by Chinese state-owned entities and not work for any company that is foreign owned if his father is elected president in 2020.
Hunter Biden also has come under scrutiny from the President and Republicans for his position on the board of the Chinese company. Biden announced on Sunday that he will step down from his role on the board and not work for any company that is foreign owned if his father is elected president in 2020.
"Hunter always understood that his father would be guided, entirely and unequivocally, by established U.S. policy, regardless of its effects on Hunter's professional interests," according to a statement released by his attorney. "He never anticipated the barrage of false charges against both him and his father by the President of the United States."
Later Tuesday, Joe Biden will appear on stage for the CNN/New York Times Democratic presidential debate . The former vice president on Sunday told reporters that his family and associates would not work for foreign companies if he is elected president, saying he would have "build on the squeaky clean, transparent environment" that he believes was reminiscent of former President Barack Obama's administration. He then unveiled a plan Monday to "restore" ethics in government.
The Biden campaign was informed of Hunter Biden's Sunday statement and new TV interview, but the decisions about when and how to speak have been Hunter Biden's, not the campaign's, CNN's Jake Tapper reported.
Trump faces an impeachment probe in the Democratic-led House over his urging the Ukrainian President in a July phone call to investigate the Bidens. That phone call led to a whistleblower complaint that in part alleges Trump withheld US aid to Ukraine over the matter. Trump has denied doing anything improper.
