The Real Reason Hunter Biden Split From Beau's Widow
Former Vice President Joe Biden's life hit a tragic chord in May 2015, when his eldest son, Beau Biden, died from brain cancer at age 46. Mourning alongside Joe was Beau's younger brother, Hunter Biden, Beau's wife of 13 years, Hallie Biden, and their two kids, Natalie and Robert "Hunter" Biden II. "Beau Biden was, quite simply, the finest man any of us have ever known," Joe said in a statement about the heartbreaking loss.
Amid all of the heartache, news broke in March 2017 that Hunter and Hallie, Beau's brother and widow, had struck up a romantic relationship. Hunter was recently single after formally separating from his longtime wife, Kathleen Biden, in October 2015 (the divorce was finalized in April 2017), and Hallie was seemingly ready to find love again after the loss of her husband. But while the romance apparently made sense to the new couple, some people were confused by Hunter's decision to date his late brother's wife. It isn't a very common situation, after all.
After two years of dating, Hunter and Hallie reportedly called it quits on their relationship in April 2019, just days after Joe announced his 2020 presidential bid. The two didn't offer an explanation for their breakup, opting for the "no comment" route. Hmm.
We're not here to judge Hunter and Hallie's romance, but since we do have some lingering questions about their breakup, we launched our own investigation into the real reason why Hunter Biden split from Beau's widow.
There's nothing to see here, folks
Although the public's response to Hunter Biden and Hallie Biden's initial relationship was a tad intense, their breakup was reportedly drama-free. Page Six, the first outlet to report the split, cited a source who said the breakup was "amicable," while Hallie gave "no comment" when asked about the news. Translation: If there is anything juicy going on behind-the-scenes, the two are seemingly committed to keeping things civil in public.
We can't say for certain, but it's possible the exes parted ways because they simply grew apart or the relationship had run its course. Sometimes relationships just don't work out, right?
Either way, an insider told the publication that the situation is a "private family matter," a sentiment we can understand. It's important to remember here that children are involved (Hallie has two kids while Hunter has three) and there's a good chance that their parents are eager to protect them from public scrutiny.
Hunter Biden has a lot on his plate
Hunter Biden became a hot topic in the political world in April 2019, when he found himself at the center of a brewing scandal involving Ukraine. We're not political experts by any means, but we'll try to break this situation down for y'all.
During President Barack Obama's tenure — when Joe Biden was vice president — Hunter worked on the "board of a Ukrainian energy company, Burisma Holdings," according to Politico. And while Hunter was working for the company, Joe put political pressure on the country to fire a high-ranking and allegedly corrupt prosecutor named General Viktor Shokin. Although the move was supposedly intended to force "Ukraine's notoriously corrupt government to clean up its act," according to The New York Times, it came to light that Shokin was investigating Burisma before he was axed. Joe told the publication that he had "never discussed the matter" with Hunter and that he "learned of his son's role with the Ukrainian energy company from news reports."
So, how does this mess relate to Hunter's relationship with Hallie Biden? Maybe Joe's son needs to take some time to deal with his career and this potential scandal before focusing on romance, but we can't say for certain. Either way, it's clear Hunter has a lot on his plate professionally.
Public scrutiny wasn't an issue for Hunter and Hallie Biden
It's no secret Hallie Biden and Hunter Biden's relationship turned some heads and incited some backlash. While these reactions probably weren't fun to deal with, Hunter revealed to Vanity Fair that he isn't easily phased by public opinion, suggesting that the rumor mill didn't ruin his relationship with Hallie.
"The important aspect of my complicated divorce (like all divorces) and an equally complicated life, marked by the tragic loss of my mother, sister and brother is this: My father has been a constant source of love and strength in my life," he explained to Vanity Fair. "Even though my life has been played out in the media, because I am a Biden, my father never once suggested that the family's public profile should be my priority. ... Love people and find a way to love yourself. And remember that the two things are very much connected."
Good for Hunter — it can take a lot of inner strength to rise above the gossip.
Hunter and Hallie Biden's family wasn't against the pairing
If you think Hunter Biden and Hallie Biden's families pressured them to end their romance, think again. Shortly after news of the romance broke, for instance, Joe Biden gave his blessing via a public statement. "We are all lucky that Hunter and Hallie found each other as they were putting their lives together again after such sadness," Joe told Page Six. "They have mine and Jill's full and complete support and we are happy for them."
Hunter echoed this sentiment with his own statement, saying in part: "Hallie and I are incredibly lucky to have found the love and support we have for each other in such a difficult time, and that's been obvious to the people who love us most. We've been so lucky to have family and friends who have supported us every step of the way."
Hallie's dad, Ron Olivere, also chimed in on the situation, telling The News Journal, "I'm in total support of the family and what they've gone through and what they continue to go through."
Although the Bidens might feel differently about the situation privately, they're cool about it publicly. And we could be wrong, but we have a feeling Joe didn't offer some sort of ultimatum to the couple regarding their romance. Live and let live, as the saying goes.
Hunter Biden's ex-wife probably didn't play a role
Considering Hunter Biden was married to his ex-wife, Kathleen Biden (above right), for 24 years, it's reasonable to wonder if he left Hallie Biden to rekindle his broken relationship. Despite their long history, however, it's unlikely that Hunter and Kathleen are in the midst of a romantic reunion. Our proof? Look no further than Page Six's May 2019 report from "a source familiar with the situation, who said, "Kathleen is thriving and looking better than ever and back on the dating scene." Get it, girl.
Another sign that this relationship won't resume anytime soon? Kathleen seemed pretty done with her ex during their divorce. In court docs, the mom of three accused her estranged husband of indulging in "drugs, alcohol, prostitutes, strip clubs" during their marriage. She also claimed that he drained their bank accounts to fulfill these unsavory habits, according to People.
Hunter countered Kathleen's claims by asking her to provide evidence of her supposed infidelity, "including but not limited to, letters, cards, notes and emails between you and any person that you had a romantic or sexual relationship with other than your husband during the marriage," court docs stated, according to Page Six.
Yeah, it sounds like this relationship is kaput for now.
Was Hunter and Hallie Biden's relationship secretly awkward behind the scenes?
Divorce can be messy, especially when it involves many moving parts and new relationships. The Biden family knows this sentiment all too well, having to adapt to a new normal after Hunter Biden and Beau Biden's widow, Hallie Biden, entered a romantic relationship in March 2017.
Although Joe Biden publicly supported Hallie and Hunter's union, things might not have been cool as he seemingly portrayed them to be. Case in point: Joe's stamp of approval supposedly led to an awkward family dynamic, especially where it concerned Hunter's ex-wife, Kathleen Biden. "His statement upset Kathleen's friends and became a running topic at Washington dinner parties, where guests worried about Kathleen being frozen out; though Joe is close to her three daughters, the new family dynamic led to awkward moments at soccer games and family holidays," writer Maureen Dowd reported for The New York Times. Eek.
Maybe Hallie and Hunter's relationship couldn't survive the supposed awkwardness — who knows? Or perhaps the exes made the decision to sacrifice their romance for the sake of their blended family.
Hold the phone — who got married?
Remember when we told you that Hunter Biden had supposedly been spending more time in La La Land? Well, we finally know the reason why — In May 2019, Hunter got hitched in Los Angeles to a South African woman named Melissa Cohen (above), per TMZ. Talk about a major surprise, right? And props to the couple for keeping the news under wraps for one month until it leaked in June.
Anyways, we're not sure how the lovebirds met or whether the rest of the Biden fam attended the nuptials, but we do know that Cohen's family approves of the union. "We are all very happy for Melissa and wish her and Hunter all the best for the future," Melissa's brother, Garyn Cohen, wrote to Page Six in an email. "Melissa is an amazing person and we all love and adore her dearly. Looking forward to meeting and getting to know my new brother-in-law (hopefully soon)!!"
Melissa's dad, Lee Cohen, echoed his son's sentiments in a separate interview. "She seems very happy. I've only spoken to Hunter briefly," Lee told Page Six, while adding that his daughter is a "very special girl" with "lots of poise."
We can't predict the future, but it sounds like Hunter and Melissa are in it for the long haul, especially since a source told Page Six that "they met and fell hard." Aww.
Hunter Biden's romance with Hallie Biden was always doomed
To Hunter Biden's dismay, his relationship with Hallie Biden never stood a chance. The drama all started shortly after Hunter and Hallie rented a home together in Annapolis, MaryIand, with her two children in August 2017. "All we got was sh*t from everybody, all the time," Hunter explained in a July 2019 profile with The New Yorker. "It was really hard. And I realized that I'm not helping anybody by sticking around."
It's unclear who Hunter and Hallie got "sh*t" from, and whether their family was included in the backlash. But there's no doubt the romance generated countless negative reactions, on social media and in the press. Either way, Hunter wasn't keen to stick around in Maryland after the relationship broke down. So in early 2018, he relocated to Los Angeles in an effort to "completely disappear." That's when he met and soon married his current wife, South Africa native Melissa Cohen. "I instantly fell in love with her. And then I've fallen in love with her more every day," he told ABC News in October 2019.
Hunter Biden, you are the father ... maybe
Out of all the reasons for Hunter and Hallie Biden's split, the rumor that former Vice President Joe Biden's son fathered a child with a woman named Lunden Roberts might take the cake. The rumor first surfaced in June 2019, just one month after the 20-something filed for paternity in Arkansas where she gave birth and lives. "This is a parenting and child support issue between her and Mr. Biden," Roberts' legal rep told the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. "She really does not want this to be a media spectacle. She does not want this to affect Joe Biden's campaign. She just wants this baby to get financial support from the baby's father."
Hunter denied Roberts' allegations in August 2019, just one year after the child was reportedly born. But months later in November 2019, Hunter was allegedly identified as the baby's father via a DNA test, with Roberts' lawyer stating in court docs (via People), "DNA testing has established with scientific certainty that the defendant [Hunter] is the father." The legal rep also revealed the results were delayed to give Hunter the chance to speak with his kids and father first, which is understandable.
Circling back to the timeline, Roberts claims her baby was conceived when she was taking classes at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., which is very close to Hunter's former home in Annapolis, Maryland. This would have been in November/December 2017, around the time he split from Hallie. Hmm.