Hunter Biden’s Energy Project Endeavors in Italy
Newly released records and interviews reveal that Hunter Biden sought support from the U.S. government for a potentially lucrative energy initiative in Italy while his father was serving as vice president. These records, which the Biden administration had kept under wraps for several years, indicate that Hunter Biden reached out at least once to the U.S. ambassador to Italy in 2016, requesting assistance related to Burisma, the Ukrainian gas company where he held a board position.
Embassy officials expressed caution regarding this request, given the sensitive nature of the situation. One official from the Commerce Department, based at the U.S. Embassy in Rome, articulated their hesitance, stating, “I want to be careful about promising too much.” The official emphasized the complications arising from the fact that Burisma was a Ukrainian company, which necessitated a protective approach on their part. They noted, “U.S.G. should not be actively advocating with the government of Italy without the company going through the D.O.C. Advocacy Center.” Here, D.O.C. refers to the Department of Commerce, which operates a program designed to assist American businesses seeking to engage with foreign governments.
Abbe Lowell, the attorney representing Hunter Biden, commented on the situation, explaining that his client “asked various people,” including the then-U.S. ambassador to Italy, John R. Phillips, about the possibility of facilitating an introduction between Burisma and the president of the Tuscany region in Italy. This introduction was sought as Burisma aimed to explore opportunities in geothermal energy projects.
