President Trump is shaking Washington to its core by challenging Biden’s last-minute pardons shielding Jan 6 committee members. The controversy centers on Biden’s alleged use of an autopen device instead of personally signing the pardons—raising serious constitutional questions about their legitimacy. If proven invalid, this could unravel a major Democrat cover-up.
Trump Challenges Legitimacy of Biden’s Pardons
Former President Donald Trump has taken a bold stance against what he perceives as an unconstitutional abuse of presidential pardon powers. In a strongly-worded statement, Trump declared that pardons signed by Joe Biden were “void, vacant and of no further force and effect” because they were signed using an autopen rather than by Biden himself.
The controversy centers around pardons issued on Biden’s final day in office for members of the House committee that investigated the January 6 Capitol events. Trump has suggested that Biden may not have even been aware that the pardons were being issued, raising serious questions about who was actually making decisions in the White House.
President Donald Trump claimed Monday that former President Joe Biden's preemptive pardons to members of the Jan. 6 House Select Committee are invalid because he used an autopen.
An autopen is a mechanical device that uses a robotic arm with a pen attached to replicate a… pic.twitter.com/l1QFumg0lo
— PBS News (@NewsHour) March 18, 2025
The Heritage Foundation has reportedly released findings on Biden’s widespread use of mechanical signature devices throughout his presidency. This pattern of delegating presidential authority raises constitutional questions about whether crucial decisions were being made by unelected staffers rather than the president himself.
Legal Questions and Presidential Authority
Trump’s challenge to the pardons has ignited debate among legal scholars about the requirements for valid presidential pardons. Speaking on Air Force One, Trump stated, “It’s not my decision – that’ll be up to a court – but I would say that they’re null and void, because I’m sure Biden didn’t have any idea that it was taking place.”
The Constitution grants presidents broad pardon power but doesn’t explicitly define the procedural requirements for issuing pardons. The question remains whether a presidential pardon must be physically signed by the president or if delegation of this authority undermines the constitutional intent.
Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt emphasized the core concern: “The president was raising the point that, did the president even know about these pardons? Was his legal signature used without his consent or knowledge?” These questions strike at the heart of executive authority and accountability in our constitutional system.
Protecting America from January 6 Committee Overreach
The controversial pardons were specifically issued to shield members of the January 6 committee from potential legal accountability. Trump has voiced concerns about the committee’s handling of evidence and records, suggesting their actions may warrant investigation.
“The ‘Pardons’ that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The timing of these pardons, issued during Biden’s final hours in office, raises questions about whether they were intended to shield political allies from accountability. Trump has repeatedly highlighted that these pardons appear designed to protect those who led what many conservatives consider a politically motivated investigation.
Trump further noted the unprecedented nature of this situation: “Everything was signed by autopen — almost everything. Nobody has ever heard of such a thing.” The former president’s concerns reflect broader conservative principles about constitutional integrity and proper use of executive power.
Sources:
Trump makes unsupported claim Biden pardons are ‘void’ as he used autopen
Trump’s Baseless Autopen Claim – FactCheck.org
Fact-checking Trump’s claim that Biden pardons are ‘void’ because he used an autopen | PBS News