Joe Biden Snaps Back at Fox Reporter When Asked About Hunter: 'Lousy Question'

Joe Biden accused Fox News reporter Peter Doocy of asking a lousy question after being challenged over claims he was on speakerphone with business associates of his son around 20 times.

The president was speaking to reporters on Wednesday during a visit to a wind farm plant in New Mexico. He said it was a "great example" of his administration helping to boost jobs and green investment across the U.S.

Republicans have been focusing heavily on investigating what links Biden had with his son's business dealings, following accusations of influence peddling. The House Oversight Committee launched an investigation into the Biden family's business dealings in January, after the GOP won control over the second chamber of Congress during the previous November's midterm elections. Biden has consistently denied any wrongdoing, with the White House insisting he was "never in business with his son."

Addressing the president on Tuesday, Doocy said: "There's this testimony now where one of your son's former business associates is claiming that you were on speakerphone a lot with them talking business. What?"

At this point, Biden cut in, saying: "I never talked business with anybody, and I knew you'd have a lousy question."

Doocy replied: "What? Why is that a lousy question?" After which, Biden said: "Because it's not true."

The Fox News reporter was referring to comments made by Devon Archer, one of Hunter Biden's business associates, who testified before the House Oversight Committee on July 31 in a closed hearing.

The transcript recorded that Archer said Hunter put his father on speakerphone during business meetings around 20 times during a 10-year period, which was used to signal his value and as defensive leverage. He also said Biden had dinner with Hunter and foreign business associates on at least two occasions, after which money was wired to Biden-linked companies. However, Archer told the hearing that Biden's conversations with his son's business partners were not related to commercial business.

Archer also said that Hunter sent him a text in March 2019 that read, "the powerful are targets." It came after Archer had asked why the Biden family didn't intervene when he was under Department of Justice investigation for defrauding a Native American tribe, for which he was later convicted.

CNN national security reporter Zachary Cohen said Archer's testimony "did not deliver that smoking gun that Republicans had hoped for." He added that it showed Hunter was aiming to "essentially trick business partners into thinking he could provide access to his father."

Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment by email.

In July, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre denied Biden was "in business" with his son, after being questioned by a reporter.

She said: "So, I've been I've been asked this question a million times. The answer is not going to change. The answer remains the same. The president was never in business with his son. I just don't have anything else to add."