Trump Rejects Biden’s ‘Autopen’ Pardon Approvals

Man in a suit waving against dark background.

President Trump has declared former President Biden’s pardons “void” due to alleged autopen signatures, raising serious questions about their legal validity and Biden’s mental capacity during his final days in office.

Quick Takes

Trump claims Biden’s pardons for Jan. 6 committee members and others are “void” because they were allegedly signed by autopen without Biden’s knowledge
Missouri Attorney General calls for DOJ investigation into the constitutionality of autopen signatures on presidential pardons
Trump suggests Jan. 6 committee members are now “subject to investigation at the highest level” despite Biden’s attempted pardons
Questions about Biden’s cognitive abilities at age 82 are central to Trump’s argument about the pardons’ invalidity
The ultimate decision on pardon validity will likely be determined by the courts

Trump Challenges Legitimacy of Biden’s Pardons

In a striking move that could have far-reaching legal implications, President Donald Trump has formally challenged the legitimacy of pardons issued by former President Joe Biden during his final days in office. Trump’s declaration specifically targets pardons granted to January 6 committee members, Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark Milley, and others, claiming they were improperly executed using an autopen device rather than receiving Biden’s genuine signature and consideration. The controversial claim has ignited debate about constitutional requirements for presidential pardons and raised questions about executive authority.

“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 claimed on social media.

Trump’s challenge extends beyond questioning the signature method, cutting to the heart of Biden’s awareness and mental capacity. He asserts that Biden, at 82 years old during his final days in office, lacked the mental faculties to understand what he was signing, suggesting that staffers may have orchestrated the pardons without proper presidential authorization. This accusation adds a new dimension to longstanding Republican concerns about Biden’s cognitive decline during his presidency and raises serious constitutional questions about who was actually making executive decisions.

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

Legal Questions and Potential Investigations

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has joined the controversy, questioning the constitutionality of using autopen signatures for presidential pardons and calling for a Department of Justice investigation. The dispute centers on whether the Constitution’s requirement for presidential signatures can be satisfied through mechanical means, particularly for documents as consequential as federal pardons. Trump has indicated that courts will ultimately determine the validity of these pardons, potentially setting up a landmark constitutional case.

“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 said.

The Oversight Project, affiliated with the Heritage Foundation, has supported Trump’s position by challenging the legitimacy of Biden’s executive orders based on signature analysis. They claim examination of Biden’s signatures shows remarkable consistency, suggesting mechanical reproduction rather than authentic signing. However, a similar analysis of Trump’s own executive orders during his first term revealed consistent signatures as well, raising questions about the standard practice of autopen use in the White House across administrations.

Broader Implications for Biden’s Legacy

Beyond the specific pardons in question, Trump’s challenge raises troubling questions about the legitimacy of numerous decisions made during Biden’s administration. Reports from former Biden staffers suggest that key decisions may have been made by senior aides as Biden’s cognitive abilities declined. One former aide was quoted expressing significant concerns about a particular staffer’s influence: “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.”

“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,” said Mike Howell.

Among the most controversial pardons now in question is Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter Biden, along with commutations for nearly 2,500 people convicted of non-violent drug offenses issued on January 17. If Trump’s legal challenge succeeds, individuals who believed they were protected by Biden’s pardons could potentially face prosecution, creating unprecedented legal uncertainty. The controversy highlights the intensifying political divide and suggests that the transition of power between the Biden and Trump administrations may continue to produce legal aftershocks for years to come.