President Donald Trump announced Monday that all pardons issued by former President Joe Biden using an autopen are null and without legal standing. The move comes as reports confirm Biden’s administration heavily relied on an autopen to sign executive orders and other major documents.
Trump took to Truth Social to denounce the practice — stating that Biden “did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them.” The controversy has raised new concerns about whether unelected officials were making key decisions during Biden’s presidency.
🚨👀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
The pardons now in question include those issued to members of the Jan. 6 select committee — as well as figures like Dr. Anthony Fauci and Gen. Mark Milley. Trump signaled that these individuals could still be held accountable — stating that those involved in “erasing all evidence” from the committee’s work should remain under 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
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has demanded a Justice Department probe into the autopen scandal — arguing that executive orders and pardons signed with the device may be legally void. Bailey suggested that Biden’s mental state may have allowed White House staff to act without his full awareness.
The Autopen is NOT Allowed for Use in Pardons. pic.twitter.com/Zal7RyP3BO
— Doug's Journey ✞📖🇺🇸 Ⅹ (@DsJ0URNEY) March 16, 2025
Vice President J.D. Vance joined the growing debate by posting a side-by-side image of Biden’s autopen signature next to Trump’s handwritten signature. The post quickly gained traction — with critics arguing that Biden’s use of the device undermined the integrity of his administration.
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 controversy has sparked renewed scrutiny over Biden’s presidency — with some questioning whether major policies were approved by Biden himself or simply processed by staffers using an autopen. Elon Musk added to the criticism — posting a laughing emoji and questioning who controlled the device during Biden’s term.
Every pardon that was signed via autopen should be thrown out… Starting with them. 👇 pic.twitter.com/YtbqB9wZLU
— The 🐰🕳️ (@TheHoleTweet) March 16, 2025
As Republicans in Congress look into the issue — legal experts suggest that Biden-era executive orders and policy decisions could face challenges based on the growing concerns over his use of an autopen.
