A plea deal struck between the Department of Justice and Hunter Biden was supposed to bring his years of legal troubles to an end. Instead, that deal has unraveled and a special counsel has been named to take over the case.

Michael Schmidt, a Washington correspondent for The Times, explains why that turn of events is increasingly pitting the interests of Hunter Biden against those of President Biden.

Guest: Michael S. Schmidt, a Washington correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• The lawyer who represented Hunter Biden in plea negotiations stepped down, saying that he intends to testify as a witness on behalf of the president’s son.
• Here’s a timeline of Hunter Biden’s life and legal troubles.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.