Hunter Biden Drops Lawsuits Citing Financial Hardship and Changing Priorities

Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, has formally requested that a federal judge dismiss his lawsuit against Garrett Ziegler, a former White House aide, citing mounting financial difficulties and personal challenges that have made continuing the case unsustainable.

The request, filed in a California federal court, comes after nearly a year of legal proceedings. Biden’s legal team explained that a significant decline in his income, compounded by damage to his rented home from wildfires in the Pacific Palisades, had made it increasingly difficult for him to afford litigation. According to court documents, Biden now owes a considerable amount in outstanding debts and is struggling to secure a permanent residence or generate stable income.

Ziegler, who served in the Trump administration under trade adviser Peter Navarro, was accused by Biden in 2023 of unlawfully disseminating data from a laptop allegedly linked to Biden. Ziegler and his organization, Marco Polo, had made thousands of emails and files publicly accessible online. Biden’s legal complaint stated that this action violated state and federal privacy laws and was part of a larger effort to target and discredit him.

At the time of the initial filing, Biden sought to challenge the use and publication of personal data that he said was obtained without his consent. The case centered on the contents of a laptop that has been the subject of political and media scrutiny for several years.

Despite early resistance, a judge previously denied Ziegler’s motion to dismiss the case. However, with the new filing, Biden is asking the court to withdraw his complaint voluntarily. His attorneys emphasized that the decision is driven by practical concerns and not by the merits of the case itself.

“Mr. Biden has experienced a steep decline in his ability to generate income and maintain stable housing,” his legal team wrote. “The wildfires rendered his rental home uninhabitable, and since then, he has had difficulty securing a new long-term place to live.”

They added that Biden now needs to direct his time and resources toward personal matters, including relocation and supporting his family, rather than engaging in drawn-out legal proceedings.

Court documents also revealed that Biden had been relying on revenue from his art and book projects. However, in the time since the lawsuit began, those sources of income have dwindled. While he had previously sold 27 pieces of artwork for an average price of over $50,000, he has only managed to sell one piece more recently, for significantly less. He also indicated that hoped-for opportunities in public speaking and media had not materialized as expected.

In a separate case, Biden has dropped a lawsuit against two Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees, Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, who he had previously accused of improperly disclosing confidential tax information. The lawsuit, filed in September 2023, alleged that the two agents had publicly shared details about his finances, potentially violating privacy protections afforded to private citizens.

Biden’s legal team filed a motion to dismiss that case “with prejudice,” which means the lawsuit cannot be refiled at a later time.

Shapley and Ziegler had testified before Congress, claiming that they faced limitations while investigating Biden’s tax filings. After the lawsuit was dropped, they issued a joint statement saying they had always viewed the legal action as an attempt to silence them.

“While we had hoped for the opportunity to present our side in court, we believe Mr. Biden’s decision to dismiss the case reflects the strength of our position,” they said. “We will continue to stand by our work and the truth of our testimony.”

These developments come amid a series of legal challenges that Hunter Biden has faced, including charges related to firearms and taxes. He had previously been found guilty in a federal gun case, though he received an early release. Biden is also reported to be dealing with significant financial obligations, including unpaid rent totaling more than $300,000 to former landlords.

The recent filings mark a pause—if not a full stop—in several high-profile legal battles that have drawn national attention. With ongoing scrutiny and public interest, it remains to be seen whether Hunter Biden will revisit any of these matters or if he will focus entirely on resolving personal and financial issues in the near future.

While his legal exits from these lawsuits may bring temporary relief, they also raise questions about the future direction of his public and professional life. For now, Hunter Biden appears to be stepping back from courtrooms and turning his attention toward rebuilding his circumstances outside the spotlight.