The store clerk who sold the Hunter Biden gun says he tried to leave a $13 tip

Gordon Cleveland remembers the day Hunter Biden walked into his gun shop on October 12, 2018 very clearly.

The president's son wanted to buy a gun but didn't have a specific model in mind.

After showing him some options, the gun shop clerk talked Hunter through accessories such as a speed loader, practice ammo, and hollow point ammo.

“He went point blank,” Cleveland testified Wednesday during Biden's federal gun trial in Delaware.

Biden paid $900 for a Cold Cobra .38 revolver and told Cleveland to keep the $13 as a tip.

Abbe Lowell, defense attorney for Hunter Bidenthen asked Cleveland if he knew the phrase “whaler.”

“They called me that because I was selling high-end guns to customers,” Cleveland explained. “I'm a salesman. That's what I did.”

Cleveland had no profit motive to sell customers on more expensive merchandise because he was paid a fixed salary and received no commission.

In a humorous moment that drew laughter from the courtroom, Cleveland said he always recommends ammunition for buying firearms, otherwise, “What are you going to do with it? Throw it at somebody?”

Cleveland, following store policy, declined Biden's tip and placed the change in an envelope at the register.

Biden, 54, what accompanied by his wife Melissa Cohen-Bidenwhile the First Lady Jill Biden He was also in Wilmington court Wednesday for the third day of his trial on felony charges related to the 2018 gun purchase.

Prosecutors argue he lied in federal documents about his drug use, which would have prevented him from legally obtaining a firearm. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison. The trial, which is expected to last a week or two, delves into whether Biden's drug use influenced his ability to legally purchase the firearm.

Cleveland said he watched Biden enter his name, address and other personal information on the gun purchase form.

He also claims he was with Hunter when he began answering a series of questions on the form with “yes or no” boxes to tick. Biden checked a box saying he was buying the gun for himself. Another question asked “are you an illegal user of or addicted to” marijuana, stimulants, narcotics, or any other controlled substance.

“He wrote 'no,'” said Cleveland, who added that Biden didn't ask any questions or express any confusion about answering the question.

The first lady returns to testify

First Lady Jill Biden re-entered the courtroom as testimony resumed after lunch. He left early in the morning before Hunter's ex-wife Kathleen Buhle testified.

Buhle talked about how she never saw Hunter using drugs, constantly searching their cars for drug paraphernalia so her daughters wouldn't get caught with her when they borrowed the cars.

Buhle told the court that he found drugs several times in 2018, while also making other discoveries throughout their relationship.

“I found a crack pipe … in an ashtray on the side porch of our house,” he said, referring to a 2015 incident.

Direct examination of Buhle by defense attorney Abbe Lowell it lasted about 15 minutes, when he admitted that he had never seen the defendant use drugs.

Buhle, 55, and Hunter Biden, 54, married in 1993. The couple, who have three children — Naomi, 30, Maisy, 23, and Finnegan, 23 — divorced in 2016 .

Buhle claimed in his 2022 memoir “If We Break” that Hunter Biden's infidelity and drug use led to the demise of his marriage. She also sued him in 2019, claiming he had failed to pay her legal fees for alimony, interest and other debts he owed her since their split.

He carried crack pipes in sunglasses cases

When testimony resumed after lunch, jurors heard continued testimony from Hunter's former girlfriend, Zoe Kestan.

Kestan provided a vivid account of her week-long 2018 getaways with Hunter, during which she often smoked crack and drank alcohol. He described Biden's habit of carrying his crack pipes in sunglasses cases, a toolbox and leather bags, and admitted that he helped him buy drugs and paraphernalia.

The morning testimony was less intense, especially for a jury briefly fell asleep during the testimony of FBI agent Erika Jensen. Jensen's questioning, which began the day before, involved scrutinizing texts between Hunter and Hallie Biden, the widow of his late brother Beau, as well as reviewing bank statements. The jury fell asleep as Jensen talked about these documents, but woke up suddenly when more compelling testimony about Hunter's drug use was presented.

Court adjourned shortly before 5pm for the day and testimony is expected to resume Thursday morning.

After jurors were dismissed, prosecutor Derek Hines told the judge he has six more witnesses after Cleveland. He said it's possible the prosecution could rest its case Thursday.