Hunter Biden gay Republicans claim surfaces on Don Lemon's show
Hunter Biden suggested on The Don Lemon Show that some GOP figures may be closeted, while stopping short of directly naming several Republicans.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
Hunter Biden gay Republicans chatter hit Don Lemon’s show when President Joe Biden’s son suggested some conservative politicians who focus on LGBTQ issues may be gay themselves, according to TMZ’s account of the interview.
The remarks came during a sit-down with Don Lemon for The Don Lemon Show, where Lemon pressed Biden on why he thinks some conservative politicians spend so much time talking about gay people. Biden’s answer, as reported by TMZ, was that some of them may also be gay.
What did Hunter Biden say to Don Lemon?
According to TMZ, Lemon asked Biden directly whether Lindsey Graham was part of what the outlet described as a “closeted” group of Republicans. Biden responded that it was not a secret and said “everybody knew,” TMZ reported.
The claim is Biden’s assertion. TMZ did not report evidence supporting it, and the report did not include a response from Graham’s representatives.
From there, Biden appeared to become more careful. TMZ reported that he tried to avoid giving a straight list of names, while still steering the conversation toward several well-known Republicans.
Which Republican names came up?
TMZ reported that Senator Josh Hawley, Trump deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller and House Speaker Mike Johnson were brought into the discussion in an indirect way.
Biden did not explicitly say Hawley, Miller or Johnson are gay, according to TMZ. The outlet said the way their names entered the conversation was likely to draw attention, because the broader discussion was about closeted politicians.
The report did not include responses from Hawley, Miller or Johnson. It also did not report any independent confirmation of Biden’s suggestion about any Republican figure’s sexuality.
Why the comments are sensitive
Sexual orientation is a personal matter, and public claims about someone being closeted can affect a person’s reputation and privacy. In this case, the remarks were framed by TMZ as Biden’s view during an interview, rather than as established fact.
Biden also joked during the exchange that he was already dealing with enough lawsuits, according to TMZ. The outlet suggested the comments could bring more legal heat, though it did not report any new legal action tied to the interview.
The clip adds another sharp-edged political media moment for Biden, who has recently appeared in other high-profile interviews and discussions, according to TMZ’s coverage. This one landed squarely in the overlap of politics, LGBTQ issues and personal allegations, with Lemon pushing for names and Biden giving just enough to keep the room buzzing.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.