US President Joe Biden has issued an official pardon for his son Hunter, who was set to face sentencing this month on federal felony gun and tax convictions.

Biden had previously said he would not pardon his son or commute his sentence.

But on Sunday evening, he said although he believed in the justice system, politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice.

Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to tax charges in September and was found guilty in a separate trial in June of being an illegal drug user in possession of a gun.