Hunter Biden's Ex-Wife Breaks Silence On Their Messy Divorce

The following article contains mentions of addiction and substance abuse.

Hunter Biden and his ex-wife Kathleen Buhle's marriage can safely be described as tumultuous. Plagued by Hunter's repeated indulgence in drugs and sex workers, the duo split in 2015, according to Page Six, finalizing proceedings two years later. In Buhle's divorce filing, she cited Hunter's allegedly unbridled use of money "on his own interests including drugs, alcohol, prostitutes, strip clubs, and gifts for women with whom he has sexual relations." However, sources think the nail in the ex-couple's coffin was really his relationship with Hallie Biden, widow to Hunter's late brother Beau Biden (who died from brain cancer in 2015). Hallie and Hunter went public with their relationship after his divorce from Buhle, but sources told The New York Post they had an affair during Hunter's marriage. Per a source from the publishing house behind Hunter's 2021 memoir "Beautiful Things," Kathleen allegedly scrolled through her iPad when she found suggestive texts between Hunter and Hallie, according to The Sun. "The book admits that this was the final straw for Kathleen," the insider said. Hunter and Hallie broke up in 2019.

A closed book Hunter never was. In "Beautiful Things," the president's son opened up about everything from drinking a quart of vodka a day at one time to living with his dealer at another. In her June memoir, "If We Break: A Memoir of Marriage, Addiction, and Healing," Kathleen is getting ready to share some details of her own. 

With the cover of her June 14 memoir "If We Break: A Memoir of Marriage, Addiction, and Healing" featuring a photo of her and Hunter Biden during a Thanksgiving vacation, Kathleen Buhle is opening up about her divorce from the presidential son, among other things. The book, People noted, is the first time Buhle is publicly commented on the messy dissolution of their marriage.

"If We Break" delves specifically into the impact of Biden's addiction upon their relationship. As Buhle, a nonprofit development executive, told People, "When my marriage ended, I felt like I'd lost my sense of who I was. Anyone who has seen addiction ruin a relationship, or been through infidelity and divorce, can tell you how devastating it feels. But what I also realized through those crushing experiences is that I needed to find a way to stand on my own." Buhle noted the process of penning her memoir "has been incredibly healing," and she hoped to help others also enduring similar issues, "especially to women who have felt like their entire identity was tied to their spouse."

Today, Biden is sober and remarried. In an interview with ABC News, he called new wife Melissa his "redemption" and "protector," and explained how he is handling his sobriety in the public eye. "I have no answer other than this: you gotta live in the connections that you have to healthy things. And I have so many of them."

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).