Childhood and Education Journey of Hunter Biden in Timeline

An overview of the childhood and early education of Hunter Biden, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.

Robert Hunter Biden is an American attorney and businessman, and the son of President Joe Biden. He co-founded BHR Partners, a Chinese investment company, in 2013. From 2014 to 2019, he served on the board of Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian natural gas producer. He has also worked as a lobbyist, legal representative, hedge fund principal, and investor in venture capital and private equity funds.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

February 4, 1970: Hunter Biden Born

On February 4, 1970, Robert Hunter Biden was born. He is the second son of Joe Biden and Neilia Hunter Biden and is an American attorney and businessman.

December 18, 1972: Death of Mother and Sister

On December 18, 1972, Hunter Biden's mother, Neilia Biden, and younger sister, Naomi, tragically died in an automobile crash. Hunter and his brother Beau were seriously injured but survived.

1972: Death of Hunter Biden's Mother and Sister

In 1972, Hunter Biden's mother and sister died in a motor vehicle accident, an event that he believes contributed to his later addiction issues.

January 1973: Father Sworn into U.S. Senate

In January 1973, Joe Biden was sworn into the U.S. Senate while his sons, Hunter and Beau, were recovering from injuries sustained in a car accident. Both spent several months in the hospital.

1977: Step Mother

In 1977, Hunter and Beau's father, Joe Biden, remarried, and Jill Jacobs Stevenson became their stepmother.

1981: Birth of Half-Sister Ashley

In 1981, Hunter Biden's half-sister, Ashley Biden, was born.

1992: Graduation from Georgetown University

In 1992, Hunter Biden graduated from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history.

1993: Marriage to Kathleen Buhle

In 1993, Hunter Biden married Kathleen Buhle after serving as a Jesuit volunteer at a church in Portland, Oregon.

1993: Hunter Biden Marries Kathleen Buhle

In 1993, Hunter Biden married Kathleen Buhle, and they had three daughters: Naomi, Finnegan, and Maisey.

1996: Graduation from Yale Law School

In 1996, Hunter Biden graduated from Yale Law School after transferring from Georgetown University Law Center.

1997: Hunter Biden admitted to Connecticut Bar

In 1997, Hunter Biden was admitted to the Connecticut Bar a year after he graduated from Yale Law School.

2014: Start of Pardoned Offenses

In December 2024, Biden's father pardoned him for all federal offenses committed between 2014 and 2024.

October 2015: Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle Separate

In October 2015, Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle formally separated.

2016: Hunter Biden Begins Relationship with Hallie Olivere Biden

In 2016, Hunter Biden began a relationship with his brother's widow, Hallie Olivere Biden.

2017: Hunter Biden's Relationships with Zoë Kestan and Lunden Alexis Roberts Begin

Between 2017 and 2018, Hunter Biden had relationships with Zoë Kestan and Lunden Alexis Roberts.

2017: Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle Divorce

In 2017, Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle divorced.

August 2018: Birth of Hunter Biden's Daughter with Lunden Alexis Roberts

In August 2018, Lunden Alexis Roberts gave birth to Hunter Biden's fourth daughter.

May 2019: Hunter Biden Marries Melissa Cohen

In May 2019, Hunter Biden married South African filmmaker Melissa Cohen within a week of first meeting her.

2019: Hunter Biden and Hallie Olivere Biden End Relationship

In 2019, Hunter Biden and Hallie Olivere Biden ended their relationship.

2019: Hunter Biden's Intervention

In early 2019, Hunter Biden had an intervention to address his substance abuse issues.

February 2020: Hunter Biden's Art Career Revealed

In February 2020, The New York Times reported that Hunter Biden had been painting as an "undiscovered artist" in his Hollywood Hills home and displayed some of his paintings, including "Untitled #4 (a study in ink)" and "Untitled #3 (a signed work)".

March 2020: Birth of Hunter Biden and Melissa Cohen's Son

In March 2020, Hunter Biden and Melissa Cohen's son, named Beau in honor of Biden's brother, was born in Los Angeles.

April 6, 2021: Release of Hunter Biden's Memoir "Beautiful Things"

On April 6, 2021, Hunter Biden released "Beautiful Things", a memoir about the trauma of the accident that claimed his mother and sister, and his later addiction struggles. The book was described as "equal parts family saga, grief narrative and addict's howl" by The New York Times.

Beautiful Things: A Memoir

Check it on Amazon

December 2021: Hunter Biden's Art Sales Begin

Starting in December 2021, Hunter Biden began selling his paintings, accumulating approximately $1.5 million by December 2023.

2021: Hunter Biden Details Drug Abuse in Memoir

In his 2021 memoir, Hunter Biden details his struggles with drug and alcohol abuse throughout his adult life, which he believes are linked to family losses, starting with the 1972 motor vehicle accident that killed his mother and sister.

2022: Kathleen Buhle's Memoir Released

In 2022, Kathleen Buhle's memoir, If We Break, documenting her account of her relationship with Hunter Biden, was released.

If We Break: A Memoir of Marriage, Addiction, and Healing

Check it on Amazon

June 2024: Hunter Biden Assists Joe Biden After Poor Debate Performance

In June 2024, after Joe Biden's poor presidential debate performance caused concern, Hunter Biden helped with speech preparation and attended meetings with the president and his staffers. He maintained daily contact with his father and urged him not to drop out of his reelection campaign.

December 2024: Presidential Pardon

In December 2024, Hunter Biden received a pardon from his father, President Joe Biden, for all federal offenses committed between 2014 and 2024, including potential offenses not yet discovered.

2024: Hunter Biden's Increased Involvement Leads to Concerns

In 2024, Hunter Biden's increased involvement in Joe Biden's presidency and campaign led to concerns from White House staffers. He advocated for firing staffers and acted as a gatekeeper for access to the president.

January 2025: Hunter Biden Experiences Homelessness After Fire

In January 2025, Hunter Biden's rental home was damaged during the Palisades Fire, leaving it uninhabitable. This event, combined with existing debt and flagging interest in his memoir, led to him experiencing homelessness.

March 2025: Hunter Biden's Secret Service Detail Withdrawn

In March 2025, Hunter Biden's Secret Service detail was withdrawn on the direction of Donald Trump, despite Joe Biden ordering extended post-presidency protection.

July 2025: Hunter Biden Blames Individuals for Father's Withdrawal

During an interview with Andrew Callaghan in July 2025, Hunter Biden blamed various individuals for purportedly forcing his father to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, a view Politico called inconsistent with the facts.

August 2025: Melania Trump Demands Retraction from Hunter Biden

In August 2025, Melania Trump sent a letter demanding that Hunter Biden retract statements he made about her, Donald Trump, and Jeffrey Epstein during an interview with Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan. Biden had attributed the information to journalist Michael Wolff, and later refused to apologize or retract his statements.