Trump Declares Biden's Preemptive Pardons Invalid Over Autopen Claims
President Trump alleges that pardons issued by Joe Biden were signed with an autopen, a claim legal experts say lacks constitutional basis or evidence.
- Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he considers Joe Biden's preemptive pardons void, claiming they were signed using an autopen.
- Biden's pardons, issued in January 2025, included his son Hunter Biden, Anthony Fauci, and members of the January 6th investigation committee.
- Legal experts emphasize there is no constitutional precedent for a sitting president to revoke a predecessor's pardons, regardless of signature method.
- Autopen use for official documents is a longstanding practice in U.S. presidencies, dating back to the 1960s, and is not considered invalidating.
- Trump has threatened investigations into those pardoned by Biden, escalating political tensions and invoking conspiracy theories about Biden's cognitive state.