Washington DC - President Joe Biden's son, Hunter, has reportedly stepped in to help his father following the recent presidential debate disaster in a move that has left some White House staffers confused.

According to NBC News, Hunter has been noticeably close to his father since last week's debate.

In recent days, he's joined the president for private meetings and phone calls with aides at the White House, with one staffer claiming he has been closely advising his father.

The news comes after Biden debated his Republican rival, Donald Trump, an event that has been panned as one of the worst US presidential debates of all time.

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Before returning to the White House, Biden spent the weekend with his family at Camp David, where they reportedly tried to convince him to continue campaigning despite calls for him to drop out.

While Hunter's presence at the White House isn't at all unusual, his presence and input during meetings is.

As Hunter was recently convicted on felony gun charges and has been the focus of right-wing attacks against his father, the move has some staffers perplexed, prompting one to ask, "What the hell is happening?"