Biden pays tribute to Beau on death anniversary before Hunter’s gun trial

President Joe Biden and his wife honored their late son, Beau Biden, on Thursday, just days before the president’s other son, Hunter Biden, is scheduled to stand for the first of his two criminal trials.

Thursday marked the ninth anniversary of Beau Biden’s death from brain cancer, believed to be linked to his exposure to toxic burn pits while deployed overseas. The president has frequently discussed his son’s death while lobbying for, and subsequently touting the passage of, the PACT Act, a veteran-focused healthcare bill.

The president, first lady Jill Biden, and members of his extended family attended mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wilmington, Delaware. Beau Biden is buried in the church cemetery, and the family visited his grave following the Mass. Hunter Biden and many of the president’s grandchildren, including Natalie, Hunter, Maisy, and Beau Jr., also attended the service, according to the traveling press pool.

Hunter Biden’s trial surrounding federal gun charges is set to begin on June 3 in Delaware. The first son is also staring down a second trial, involving tax fraud, slated to begin in September in California after being delayed earlier this month.

Following the service, Biden also visited the nearby Veterans Memorial Park. The president, wearing his trademark aviators, laid a bouquet of flowers at the memorial before spending a brief moment alone in silence. The other members of the Biden family did not join him.

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Biden also briefly visited with former state Sen. Nancy Cook, a Democrat whom Biden reportedly said was “the reason” he is president.

Following Thursday’s memorial proceedings, the president and first lady traveled to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where they will spend the remainder of the day before returning to Washington, D.C., on Friday.