In 2016, Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, asked the U.S. ambassador to Italy for assistance with a Burisma energy project while his father was vice president, according to The New York Times.

Hunter, who sat on Burisma’s board, sought help with a geothermal project facing regulatory issues in Italy.

The request, which embassy officials reportedly found uncomfortable, did not result in any meetings or projects.

This revelation is expected to intensify Republican scrutiny of Hunter Biden’s foreign business activities, as he faces a federal trial for allegedly failing to pay taxes on income from Burisma and other foreign ventures.

The White House stated that President Biden was unaware of his son’s outreach, and Hunter Biden’s lawyer defended the request as appropriate, the Associated Press has reported.

The trial, set for September, will also address Hunter Biden’s previous drug use and its impact on his decision-making.

Written by B.C. Begley