WASHINGTON — Controversial first son Hunter Biden released a statement Sunday night after his father, President Biden, ended his re-election campaign — saying, “Thank you, Mr. President. I love you, Dad.”

Hunter, 54, has been a central figure during his 81-year-old father’s presidency, frequently appearing with him in public and serving as an informal adviser, despite being a primary focus of the ongoing House impeachment inquiry into alleged Biden family corruption. 

“For my entire life, I’ve looked at my dad in awe. How could he suffer so much heartache and yet give so much of whatever remained of his heart to others? Not only in the policies he passed, but in the individual lives he’s touched,” Hunter said.

The president’s son was convicted on June 11 in Delaware of three gun felonies. He faces a second federal trial on Sept. 5 in Los Angeles over allegations he failed to pay $1.4 million in federal taxes between 2016 and 2019.

“Over a life time I have witnessed him absorb the pain of countless everyday Americans who he’s given his personal phone number to, because he wanted them to call him when they were hurting. When their last hopes were slipping through their hands,” Hunter said.

“That unconditional love has been his North Star as a President, and as a parent.”

The first son concluded his statement by hailing his father, who stepped aside due to Democratic concerns about his mental acuity, for being authentic throughout his years of service.

“He is unique in public life today, in that there is no distance between Joe Biden the man and Joe Biden the public servant of the last 54 years. I’m so lucky every night I get to tell him I love him, and to thank him. I ask all Americans to join me tonight in doing the same. Thank you, Mr. President. I love you, Dad,” Hunter added.

The White House has said that Joe Biden will not pardon his son, but The Post’s sources close to the president suspect he ultimately will do so before leaving office.

Hunter walked away from a probation-only plea deal last July over demands for even broader immunity for past conduct, including alleged violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which could implicate his father, whom he frequently involved in overseas business relationships, including during the elder Biden’s vice presidency.

President Biden has insisted he “never” discussed foreign ventures with his son or brother James Biden and claimed to a Post reporter in March that he “did not interact with their partners” — despite photos, emails and witness testimony to the contrary.

What to know about President Biden's decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race:

• President Biden announced Sunday he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race — after weeks of prominent Democrats and donors calling on him to withdraw following his disastrous performance in the first presidential debate.
• In a letter posted on X Sunday afternoon, Biden admitted that it is in the “best interest of my party and country” for him to step down as the Democratic nominee.
• Biden wrote that he intends to serve out the remainder of his term and will address the country on his decision later this week.
• In a follow-up X post, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the suddenly open Democratic nomination. “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” the president wrote.
• Former President Donald Trump reacted to the news by labeling Biden the “worst president in the history of our country” in a call with CNN.

Evidence indicates that Joe Biden interacted with his family’s associates from two Chinese government-linked business ventures and others from Kazakhstan, Mexico, Russia and Ukraine, including while he was sitting vice president and controlling foreign policy toward those countries.