Overview
- Justice Department records for several Nov. 7 pardons were initially posted with matching images of President Trump’s signature and later replaced with versions showing different signatures.
- DOJ and the White House say Trump personally signed all seven pardons and attribute the duplication to a technical upload mistake linked to staffing issues.
- Two forensic document examiners told the Associated Press the original signatures were identical, which they noted is inconsistent with expected handwriting variation.
- Rep. Dave Min called for an investigation, while House Republicans defended Trump’s process even as they continue to attack Joe Biden’s use of an autopen.
- Legal scholars say the pardons remain valid because presidential intent, not the method of applying a signature, determines their legality.