President Donald Trump has dismissed pardons issued by former President Joe Biden, arguing that they are invalid because they were signed with an autopen rather than by Biden himself. Trump’s statement, made Monday on Truth Social, comes as new reports reveal the extent to which Biden relied on the device during his time in office.
Biden’s use of an autopen to sign official documents has raised alarms about whether he was personally involved in key decisions. According to a White House insider, aides routinely managed executive orders and other important actions without clear confirmation that Biden had approved them.
🚨👀I said this when he first "signed" them. Look back and you'll see I said he didn't have the cognitive ability to legally enter into a car loan, let alone sign Eos or pardon people.
I just didn't know it was done by autopen. People need to go to jail – the "pardonees" and… pic.twitter.com/pyNjqAw892
— 🍻Grow in the Glass🍻 (@mrhuntoon) March 17, 2025
Trump did not hold back in his response, declaring, “Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them!” The controversy centers on last-minute pardons Biden issued before leaving office, including preemptive legal protections for individuals linked to the Jan. 6 investigation.
Thought it would be interesting to look at Joe Biden's signatures on the seven pardons issued in the last hours before he left office. The president's pardon power can't be constrained or challenged, but who used an autopen to issue blanket, preemptive, 11-year pardons? pic.twitter.com/GIP8kThYUu
— Susan Shelley (@Susan_Shelley) January 29, 2025
Members of the former House select committee that probed the events of Jan. 6 were among those pardoned. Trump now argues that these individuals should still be investigated, stating that those responsible for deleting evidence from the committee’s work must be held accountable.
The Autopen is NOT Allowed for Use in Pardons. pic.twitter.com/Zal7RyP3BO
— Doug's Journey ✞📖🇺🇸 Ⅹ (@DsJ0URNEY) March 16, 2025
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has suggested that if Biden did not personally authorize these actions, they may be legally void. Bailey has called for the Department of Justice to examine whether unelected staffers were effectively running the administration by using the autopen to sign orders on Biden’s behalf.
as long as Biden had the intent to pardon his family, signing by pen, autopen doesn't really matter, it is still effective. However, Biden clearly had no intent to pardon his family… so ya, here is that… pic.twitter.com/o0r71UkqQL
— 🏴☠️ TT 🏴☠️ (@TeslaTrillion) March 17, 2025
The revelation has sparked backlash on social media, with Vice President J.D. Vance highlighting the issue by posting a photo comparing Biden’s autopen signature to Trump’s actual handwriting. Elon Musk also weighed in, mocking the situation with a bullseye and laughing emoji.
Every pardon that was signed via autopen should be thrown out… Starting with them. 👇 pic.twitter.com/YtbqB9wZLU
— The 🐰🕳️ (@TheHoleTweet) March 16, 2025
With legal challenges now expected, Biden’s use of the autopen may come under congressional scrutiny, potentially affecting the legitimacy of key executive actions during his presidency.
