NEW YORK, June 5 — Drug use, sobriety, erections... The son of former US president Joe Biden has become an unlikely social media sensation as he takes aim at critics with a mix of self-deprecating humour, biting retorts and salty language.

Hunter Biden, plagued for years with legal troubles and drug addiction, has lashed out at trolls on Elon Musk’s platform X in a series of posts that have gone viral since he relaunched his old account.

Earlier this week, 56-year-old Biden marked “7 years sober” by offering gratitude to supporters of his recovery program in a short clip on the platform.

When one X user dismissed this, claiming cocaine reportedly discovered in the White House in 2023 “was your bag,” Biden fired right back.

“It most definitely was not. I would never have forgotten my drugs,” Biden joked in a retort garnering more than 18 million views.

Another X user posted an apparent digitally altered image depicting Biden with a drug pipe in his mouth.

“I know this may sound petty, but I can’t stand it when people... photoshop a meth pipe in my mouth. A crack pipe doesn’t have that little bowl at the end,” Biden deadpanned in response.

“This is why we can’t trust AI. Please make the appropriate edit. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” he added, signing off in a style reminiscent of another social media sensation — President Donald Trump.

In his reply to another sceptic on X, Biden wrote: “Why does everyone keep saying this? I smoked crack. I would never have wasted cocaine by putting it up my nose.”

Another comment that drew widespread amusement was his remark that “I’ve never stolen an erection in my life” — a sarcastic jibe at another online attacker whose claim about stolen elections was misspelled with an “r” instead of “l.”

For years, Biden has faced bitter scrutiny from Republicans, who viewed him as his father’s Achilles Heel.

Hunter Biden received an unconditional pardon from Joe Biden in December 2024, after Trump defeated the Democratic election candidate, vice president Kamala Harris.

When he relaunched his X account last month, Biden junior opened with a blunt introductory post: “I’m Hunter Biden. You’ve never actually heard from me.” — AFP