First son Hunter Biden joined his father and other members of the Biden family at the White House Tuesday to take in the Fourth of July fireworks following a weekend getaway to Camp David — during which a powdered substance found in the West Wing initially tested positive for cocaine.
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden were accompanied on the balcony of the South Portico by Hunter Biden, his son Beau Jr., first daughter Ashley Biden and other members of the first family.
“Welcome to your house, the White House. We’re just rentin’,” the 80-year-old president told military families, National Park Service staff and their families, and members of his administration and their families during brief remarks Tuesday night.
The Bidens and others in attendance for the president and the first lady’s Independence Day celebration had front-row seats to the fireworks spectacular over the National Mall.
Attendees were also treated to musical performances by the United States Military’s Premier Bands, Grammy Award-winning country musicians Brothers Osborne and three-time Grammy Award-winning musician Ne-Yo, among other artists, according to the White House.
“It’s amazing what a difference music makes. No, no, I really mean it. Think about how music can change moods. Music can make us feel better,” Biden said during his remarks at the event, before Jill Biden introduced the next musical act.
Earlier Tuesday, the president, first lady, Hunter Biden, his wife Melissa Cohen, Beau Jr. and Hunter Biden’s daughter Finnegan were all spotted disembarking Marine One at Fort McNair in Washington.
The White House pool report noted that Beau Biden Jr. “seemed reluctant” to get into one of the vehicles in the president’s motorcade that took the family back to the White House.
The president and his wife hosted a barbecue for active-duty military families on the White House lawn Tuesday evening ahead of the nighttime fireworks.
The president and his family returned to the White House about 36 hours after an “unknown item” found Sunday night forced a brief evacuation of the building and drew a hazmat team to the executive mansion.
The white, powdery substance, found in a holding area accessible to both White House staffers and guests, tested positive for cocaine, officials familiar with the matter told The Post.
Further tests were planned to confirm the nature of the substance.
Authorities are trying to determine how the substance got into the White House.
Hunter Biden, 53, who has acknowledged a prior addiction to crack cocaine, was on the White House grounds Friday before heading off to Camp David with his father for the second weekend in a row.
