Hunter Biden made a surprise appearance at a House Oversight Committee hearing facing contempt of Congress charges before leaving after just 17 minutes.
The incident occurred in the Rayburn House Office Building on Wednesday, with reporters and political operatives trailing Biden in the hallways.
Hunter left the hearing when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene began speaking, who called him a "coward".
A heckler further intensified the spectacle after he questioned Hunter about his drug habits outside the hearing room.
Republican lawmakers are pushing for a vote that would hold the president's son in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena.
The shock appearance was a move that his attorneys believe will call the bluff of Republicans who say they want to question him extensively.
His arrival at the hearing alongside his legal team sparked a war of words between representatives.
Mr Biden has been subpoenaed to testify at a closed-door panel, while Democratic lawmakers insist he be allowed to testify publicly.
