Hunter Biden asked U.S. embassy in Italy for help landing Burisma deal while Joe was VP - report | 13 Aug 2024 | First son Hunter Biden, acting on behalf of a Ukrainian energy company, requested help from the U.S. Embassy in Rome to land a lucrative business deal, while his father, Joe Biden, was vice president, according to a report. Hunter's big ask and apparent attempt to use his father's position of power to land the deal for Bursima -- the Ukrainian gas giant on which he sat on the board -- came to light only after State Department records were released to the New York Times after Joe Biden ended his 2024 re-[s]election bid last month. "I want to be careful about promising too much," a Commerce Department official at the U.S. embassy in Italy wrote in response to Hunter's letter, which was not released. The official seemed alarmed by the request, noting the various protocols in place that prevent the U.S. government from lobbying on behalf of foreign companies.