Hunter Biden’s $15,800 monthly Malibu rental mansion burned to the ground in the Pacific Palisades Fire, leaving only two chimney stacks standing amid charred rubble.
President Joe Biden addressed his son’s situation during a news conference about the wildfires in Santa Monica, California.
“It’s astounding what’s happening,” the 82-year-old president said. “My son lives out here and his wife. They got a notification yesterday their home was probably burned to the ground. Today, it appears that maybe [it’s] still standing, but I’m not sure.”
Biden’s home did burn to ash, it was later discovered. Take a look —
Photos show Hunter Biden's Malibu home burned to the ground by LA fire https://t.co/rbDzK4BQqL pic.twitter.com/h9kCDexWtn
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) January 9, 2025
The destroyed $4 million property, previously a three-bedroom, three-bathroom 1950s home with panoramic Pacific Ocean views, featured floor-to-ceiling windows and a gourmet kitchen. The rental included a guest studio with a private ocean-view balcony that Hunter used as an art studio.
The neighboring property, rented by Hunter’s Secret Service protection detail for $16,000 monthly and funded by taxpayers, also burned in the blaze.
Hunter Biden, 54, and wife Melissa Cohen have lived in Malibu for approximately three years. Their previous Malibu mansion cost $20,000 monthly in rent, with the Secret Service occupying an adjacent property for $30,000 monthly.
Before Malibu, Hunter resided in a $12,000 monthly Hollywood Hills rental where he established his art studio in 2019.
He later moved to a $4.2 million Venice Beach canal-side house in 2021. Sources claim Hunter and Melissa left the Venice property “in disarray and disrepair,” owing approximately $80,000 in unpaid rent to then-owner Jonathan Neman, Sweetgreen CEO and co-founder.
“Hunter and Melissa were horrible tenants. Not only did they stiff the owner for months of rent, they left the house in terrible condition,” a source said at the time.
“They were totally disrespectful of [landlord] Jonathan and [his wife] Leora’s property. Melissa was rude and entitled. They destroyed the stereo equipment in the home and when someone came to fix it, they were uncooperative. They also left the place dirty.”
The fire destroys Hunter’s home as he begins 2025 with an unprecedented, sweeping presidential pardon from his father, which covered any potential crimes he committed between 2014 and 2024.
The pardon ended multiple convictions and court cases. It stopped Hunter from being sentenced in Delaware for illegally lying on a gun-purchase form and a Los Angeles tax case where Hunter had pleaded guilty to three felony tax offenses and six felony misdemeanors.
Biden and the White House had insisted for years that the president would not pardon his son, and claimed that “no one was above the law.” Hunter will never face punishment for his crimes.
The destroyed Malibu property featured lime trees in the backyard and a hot tub. According to the property listing, the home offered “mesmerizing ocean views” and “large windows that give the illusion of being fully immersed and in total harmony with nature.”
The Pacific Palisades Fire has destroyed over 1,000 homes in Los Angeles County, with four wildfires currently burning out of control in the region and threatening millions of residents.