In a recent revelation by The New York Times, it has been reported that Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, sought assistance from the U.S. ambassador to Italy in 2016 regarding an energy project being pursued by Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company. This development is likely to intensify Republican criticism surrounding Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings, which have been the subject of GOP investigations into the president's family.

According to records and interviews cited by The New York Times, Hunter Biden wrote a letter to then-U.S. Ambassador John R. Phillips requesting assistance for Burisma's geothermal project in Italy. At that time, Hunter Biden served on the board of Burisma, which faced regulatory challenges in its pursuit of the project. A businessman associated with the project revealed that Burisma faced difficulties in obtaining approval for their endeavor.

The revelation comes as Hunter Biden prepares to stand trial in September on federal charges alleging he failed to pay taxes on income received from Burisma and other foreign businesses. Prosecutors have expressed their intention to present evidence at trial related to Hunter Biden's other business dealings, including an arrangement with a Romanian businessman who aimed to influence U.S. government policy during Vice President Joe Biden's term.

Hunter Biden's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, defended his client's outreach to the ambassador on behalf of Burisma as a "proper request." Lowell further stated that Hunter Biden had sought assistance in arranging an introduction between Burisma and the president of Italy's Tuscany region. However, Lowell clarified that no meeting took place, no project materialized, and no request for intervention in U.S. affairs was made. Instead, only an introduction in Italy was requested.

The newspaper's investigation suggests that embassy officials may have been cautious about Hunter Biden's request. One official expressed reservations by stating, "I want to be careful about promising too much."

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed the matter, stating that President Joe Biden was unaware during his time as Vice President that his son had reached out to the embassy on Burisma's behalf. Jean-Pierre emphasized that the president is not involved in business dealings with his son and that any concerns related to Hunter Biden's actions should be addressed by him as a private citizen.

John R. Phillips, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Italy at that time, mentioned that he received numerous letters and did not specifically recall receiving correspondence from Hunter Biden. Phillips expressed that if he had received such a letter, he would have responded out of courtesy but would not encourage involvement in business matters involving embassy resources.

Despite Hunter Biden's outreach on behalf of Burisma, it remains unclear whether the embassy agreed to assist the company in its geothermal project in Italy.

Meanwhile, Hunter Biden is set to face trial in Los Angeles in September. He is accused of engaging in a four-year scheme aimed at evading at least $1.4 million in taxes during a period when he publicly acknowledged struggling with drug addiction. His lawyers have indicated that they will argue at trial that drug use impaired his judgment and decision-making abilities, potentially affecting his intent in committing the alleged crimes.

In a separate case, Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to three felony charges related to lying on a mandatory gun-purchase form in 2018 by stating that he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs. He faces up to 25 years in prison at sentencing scheduled for November 13 in Wilmington, Delaware, but as a first-time offender, he is likely to receive a more lenient sentence or avoid incarceration altogether.