White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre definitively ruled out the possibility of President Joe Biden using his presidential powers to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, in the face of upcoming misdemeanor tax and gun charges.

The White House’s statement quashes a theory promoted by conservative critics.

Hunter Biden’s criminal case took an unexpected turn in Delaware federal court on Wednesday, July 26, as a plea deal fell apart. The presiding judge, Maryellen Noreika, expressed concerns over the agreement’s terms, particularly as to the sought-for immunity from any other criminal charges that Hunter Biden’s legal team was pushing for.

President Biden has not shown any inclination toward pardoning his son, but speculation has persisted, drawing comparisons to former President Donald Trump, who granted pardons and commutations to several political allies, such as Stephen Bannon and Roger Stone.

During the court hearing, Hunter Biden had initially agreed to plead guilty to two tax charges and avoid prosecution on a gun charge related to the case against the president’s son. However, Judge Noreika refused to accept the agreement without further scrutiny, stating that she would not be a mere “rubber stamp” in this matter.

As a result, Hunter Biden ended up entering a not-guilty plea to the two misdemeanor charges related to his alleged failure to pay taxes in 2017 and 2018, during which he received over $1.5 million annually. He may change his plea if his lawyers can negotiate an agreement with prosecutors that satisfies the judge’s concerns.

Judge Noreika, appointed by former President Donald Trump, has requested that both parties present legal briefs within the next 30 days to assess the legitimacy of the proposed deals offered to Hunter Biden.

Though the case continues to attract attention, the White House has firmly stated that a presidential pardon for Hunter Biden is not on the table.