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Trump Declares Biden Pardons Signed by Autopen Invalid

Constitutional scholars say a president cannot revoke a predecessor’s clemency.

Overview

  • Trump announced on Truth Social that any Biden-era pardons bearing an autopen signature have no legal effect.
  • Legal experts, including Professor Mark Osler, said there is no constitutional or judicial basis to cancel another president’s pardons.
  • No response from Biden representatives was reported in the immediate aftermath of the declaration.
  • An autopen has long been used by presidents of both parties to reproduce signatures on official documents.
  • The dispute follows the earlier pardon of Hunter Biden, which drew Republican criticism, while Trump has issued about 70 pardons in his second term’s first ten months.