Trump Declares Biden’s ‘Autopen’ Pardons Invalid

Man speaking at podium with microphones and flag — U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a foreign policy address as Vice President Kamala Harris listens during a visit to the State Department in Washington D.C., U.S., Feb. 4, 2021.

President Trump has declared former President Biden’s controversial pardons null and void due to their alleged autopen signatures, setting the stage for potential legal battles that could impact numerous pardoned figures including members of the January 6th Committee and Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Key Takeaways

President Trump has officially declared Biden’s pardons “void, vacant, and of no future force of effect” due to alleged autopen signatures rather than authentic presidential signatures.
Trump claims Biden was unaware of the pardons issued in his name, questioning the 82-year-old former president’s mental capabilities.
The validity of the pardons will likely be determined in court, potentially affecting numerous high-profile figures including Jan. 6 Committee members, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and General Mark Milley.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has called for a DOJ investigation into the constitutionality of autopen-signed presidential documents.
Former Biden aides have raised concerns about key staffers making decisions as Biden’s cognitive abilities allegedly declined during his presidency.

Trump Challenges Biden’s Pardons’ Legitimacy

In a striking challenge to traditional presidential transitions, President Donald Trump has declared that former President Joe Biden’s pardons are “void, vacant, and of no future force of effect” due to their alleged signing by autopen rather than Biden himself. Trump specifically targeted pardons granted to members of the January 6th Select Committee, alleging they orchestrated their own pardons without Biden’s knowledge or approval. The claims directly question the constitutional validity of executive actions taken during Biden’s final days in office.

“The ‘Pardons’ that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen,” Trump stated in his declaration challenging the pardons’ validity. “He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime.”

Let’s break this down carefully and address the core question: Is it illegal for a president to use an autopen signature on pardons, and does it affect their legal validity?

The use of an autopen—a machine that replicates a person’s signature—has been a common practice among…

— Brandon Adkins (@wilson72091) March 12, 2025

Questions of Executive Capacity and Constitutional Authority

Trump’s allegations go beyond procedural concerns, directly questioning Biden’s mental capabilities during the latter part of his presidency. “In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them!” Trump asserted, suggesting that the 82-year-old former president lacked awareness of significant executive actions issued under his authority. These claims align with previous concerns raised about Biden’s cognitive decline during his term in office.

“I feared no one as much as I feared that [staffer]. To me, [the staffer] basically was the president. No one ever questioned [the staffer]. Period,” revealed a former Biden aide, raising troubling questions about who was actually making decisions in the White House as Biden’s term progressed.

The pardons in question extended to numerous high-profile figures beyond the January 6th Committee members. Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark Milley, former Representative Liz Cheney, and Biden’s son Hunter Biden were reportedly among those receiving pardons during Biden’s final days in office. Additionally, Biden commuted sentences for nearly 2,500 individuals convicted of non-violent drug offenses on January 17th, just days before leaving office.

Legal Implications and Investigations

Trump’s declaration positions the former January 6th Committee members for potential investigation. “Therefore, those on the Unselect Committee, who destroyed and deleted ALL evidence obtained during their two year Witch Hunt of me, and many other innocent people, should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level,” Trump warned in his statement challenging the pardons. His comments suggest possible legal action against those previously considered protected by presidential pardon.

“The prolific use of autopen by the Biden White House was an instrument to hide the truth from the American people as to who was running the government,” stated Mike Howell, executive director of the Oversight Project, which is associated with the Heritage Foundation.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has called for a Department of Justice investigation into the constitutionality of autopen signatures on presidential documents. Trump acknowledged that the validity of Biden’s pardons would ultimately be decided in court, setting the stage for what could become a landmark case regarding presidential powers and the requirements for valid executive actions. The constitutional question of whether autopen signatures meet the requirements for official presidential documents remains unresolved.