President Joe Biden has broken his silence about his 4-year-old grandaughter Navy Joan Roberts. His son, Hunter Biden, fathered the baby with Lunden Roberts.
Roberts filed a paternity suit against the president’s son in May 2019.
“Our son Hunter and Navy’s mother, Lunden, are working together to foster a relationship that is in the best interests of their daughter, preserving her privacy as much as possible going forward,” President Biden said in a statement provided exclusively to PEOPLE.
Navy, one of the president’s seven grandchildren, has recently been the subject of headlines as Republicans continue to criticize Biden for previously touting his “six grandchildren.”
“This is not a political issue, it’s a family matter,” Biden added in his statement. “Jill and I only want what is best for all of our grandchildren, including Navy.”
“You have to remember there were some fairly contentious legal proceedings between Navy’s parents happening until just a few weeks ago. As grandparents, the Bidens are following Hunter’s lead,” the source says, adding, “They are — and have been — giving Hunter and Lunden the space and time to figure things out.”
Hunter initially denied paternity but the four-year legal battle with Roberts determined he was the father.
In January 2020, Hunter agreed to pay an undisclosed amount in child support to Lunden, including retroactive payments dating back to November 2018, PEOPLE reported.
But in April 2021, she filed a “motion for contempt,” claiming Hunter had withheld evidence and ignored previous court rulings throughout their paternity lawsuit. The contempt motion cited a previous filing when she argued that he should be held in contempt because he ignored court orders. She also sought attorney fees.
In June 2023, Hunter settled the child support case by reaching an agreement with Lunden, the terms have not been disclosed.
