U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb dismissed a suit from the Stephen Miller–founded America First Legal Foundation that sought to force Hunter Biden to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, ruling the group lacked standing. The foundation claimed an "informational injury" tied to Biden’s reported ties to Burisma and the China Energy Fund Committee, but the court found no plausible injury. Special Counsel David Weiss testified in June 2025 that investigators found insufficient evidence to prove Hunter Biden acted as a foreign agent. The suit was filed in 2023; acting AG Todd Blanche is listed in the current filing.
Federal Judge Dismisses Bid To Force Hunter Biden’s FARA Registration, Citing Lack Of Standing
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by the Stephen Miller–founded America First Legal Foundation that sought to compel the Department of Justice to register Hunter Biden under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
Court Decision
In a decision issued Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Judge Jia M. Cobb — a Biden appointee — ruled that the America First Legal Foundation lacked legal standing because it failed to show it suffered an injury from Hunter Biden not being registered under FARA. The decision, first reported by Law360, ends the foundation’s attempt to force DOJ disclosure or registration.
Arguments and Ruling
The foundation argued that Hunter Biden’s reported ties to the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma and the China Energy Fund Committee should have required FARA registration. It claimed an "informational injury" — that is, that the public and the group were denied information the government should have disclosed.
Judge Cobb rejected that theory, finding that the foundation "has not plausibly alleged an injury." Because Hunter Biden is not registered as a foreign agent, Judge Cobb said, "there is nothing for the government to disclose."
Special Counsel Testimony
Special Counsel David Weiss, who is a Republican, testified in June 2025 that investigators found insufficient evidence to prove Hunter Biden acted as a foreign agent. Weiss told the House Judiciary Committee:
"We didn’t have enough evidence to prove that Hunter Biden had acted as an agent of a foreign principal and had engaged in political activity in that regard. We just couldn’t put together a sufficient case."
Case Background
The lawsuit was originally filed in 2023 while Merrick Garland was attorney general. In the current filing, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is listed as the defendant as the head of the Department of Justice. The suit sought a declaration that Hunter Biden should be registered under FARA and related relief; the court did not reach the merits because of the standing ruling.
What This Means: The dismissal means the court will not force DOJ to register Hunter Biden under FARA based on the present complaint. If the plaintiff can show a concrete injury or new evidence emerges, the group could attempt to refile, but for now the case is closed on procedural grounds.
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