Yes
He should.
No
He shouldn’t.
Questions surrounding the Biden family’s overseas business relationships have fueled years of political debate in Washington, and President Donald Trump’s return to the White House has raised a consequential question about what should happen next.
Should the Trump administration pursue additional investigations into whether foreign interests improperly influenced former President Joe Biden or members of his family?
Republicans in Congress previously examined Hunter Biden’s overseas business activities and scrutinized Joe Biden’s interactions with his son’s associates. Those investigations generated extensive testimony, financial records and partisan disagreement over what the evidence ultimately established.
Supporters of further investigation argue that unanswered questions remain and that Americans deserve transparency whenever relatives of powerful elected officials conduct lucrative business with foreign individuals or companies. From this perspective, the standard should apply regardless of whether the politician involved is a Republican or Democrat.
They may also argue that public confidence in Washington depends on demonstrating that political families are not exempt from scrutiny.
Opponents of another investigation are likely to argue that the Biden family’s activities have already received extensive attention from Congress, federal investigators and the media. They may view additional investigations as politically motivated and believe the Trump administration should focus its resources on current problems rather than continuing battles involving the previous administration.
There is also a broader principle involved.
Americans have increasingly raised concerns about the relationship between political power, family members, lobbying, private business and foreign money. Those concerns extend beyond any one president or political party.
An investigation conducted under appropriate legal standards could potentially provide additional answers. On the other hand, an investigation perceived primarily as political retaliation could deepen the country’s partisan divisions.
Ultimately, voters must decide whether they believe enough questions remain unanswered to justify further government scrutiny.