Hunter Biden has formally requested to drop a lawsuit he filed against former Trump aide Garrett Ziegler, citing financial hardship and personal challenges as key reasons for stepping away from the case.

In documents filed this week in a California federal court, attorneys representing Biden asked U.S. District Judge Hernan D. Vera to dismiss the lawsuit that was originally filed in September 2023. The case centered on allegations that Ziegler and his research group, Marco Polo, unlawfully published tens of thousands of emails believed to have come from a laptop once associated with Biden.

Biden’s legal team explained that his financial circumstances have significantly worsened in recent months, limiting his ability to continue the lawsuit. According to the filing, Biden now faces “substantial debt” and has seen a steep decline in income. These challenges, the filing said, were made worse by recent wildfires in the Pacific Palisades, which rendered his rental home uninhabitable and disrupted his living situation.

“Mr. Biden has had difficulty finding a new permanent place to live,” the filing stated, “and has found it challenging to earn a living amid these circumstances.”

The lawyers emphasized that Biden needs to focus on securing housing, managing damage from the wildfires, and providing for his family. They argued that continuing the legal battle with Ziegler would not be a wise use of his already stretched resources.

The original suit accused Ziegler and Marco Polo of violating federal and state privacy laws by creating and promoting a searchable online database that contained over 128,000 emails allegedly linked to Hunter Biden. Ziegler, a former aide to Trump’s trade advisor, had previously tried to get the case thrown out. However, the court had denied that motion, allowing the lawsuit to proceed—until now.

The decision to withdraw this lawsuit follows a broader pattern in Biden’s recent legal strategy. Earlier this week, he also dropped a separate lawsuit filed against two IRS whistleblowers. That case alleged that IRS agents Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler improperly disclosed his confidential tax information in public statements and testimony. Biden’s legal team filed to dismiss the case “with prejudice,” meaning it cannot be refiled in the future.

Shapley and Ziegler, who had testified before Congress about alleged interference in the federal investigation into Hunter Biden’s finances, responded to the dismissal by framing it as a vindication of their actions.

“It’s always been clear that the lawsuit was an attempt to intimidate us,” they said in a joint statement. “We truly wanted our day in court… but it appears Mr. Biden was afraid to actually fight this case in a court of law after all.”

Hunter Biden’s personal financial disclosure in the California case offered further insight into his current challenges. According to the court documents, he has struggled to secure new income sources, including paid speaking engagements and sales of his artwork. While he previously sold 27 pieces of art for an average of over $54,000 each, he has sold only one piece since filing the lawsuit, earning $36,000 from that sale.

He also noted that opportunities he expected—such as publishing appearances or follow-up work based on his memoir—had not materialized.

“I am not in a position where I can borrow money,” Biden added in a supporting declaration.

Biden’s legal withdrawal comes as he faces other mounting legal issues. In addition to unresolved federal tax matters, he was previously found guilty on federal gun charges. Though a sentencing date was originally set, President Joe Biden later granted his son an early release. Additionally, Hunter Biden has recently been named in a lawsuit for more than $300,000 in unpaid rent to former landlords.

The collapse of both lawsuits—the one against the IRS whistleblowers and the one involving Ziegler and Marco Polo—marks a significant turn in Hunter Biden’s legal trajectory. The dual withdrawals not only signal strategic retreat but also reflect the growing pressure of financial and personal strains behind the scenes.

Whether these decisions will mark the end of legal scrutiny or simply shift the focus remains unclear. But one thing is certain: the once-active legal front Hunter Biden pursued is, for now, quiet. The silence, however, may speak louder than the court battles themselves.