Trump declares Biden pardons 'void, vacant, and of no further force' as ex-POTUS used autopen signature

Trump declares Biden pardons 'void, vacant, and of no further force' as ex-POTUS used autopen signature
In a social media post, Donald Trump declared pardons made by Joe Biden during his presidency as 'void, vacant, and of no further force or effect' (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump declared that pardons made by Joe Biden during his presidency are "void, vacant and of no further force or effect" as the former president used an autopen signature. 

Trump also warned that members of the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riots can now face prosecution, the Daily Mail reported.

The POTUS claimed on Sunday, March 16 night that as Biden used an autopen, the pardons cannot be enforced and suggested they were signed without the former president's knowledge, per the outlet. 



 

Donald Trump declares Joe Biden pardons 'void, vacant, and of no further force or effect'

Donald Trump took to his Truth Social account and posted on Sunday, "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."

He claimed, "In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them! The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden. He knew nothing about them and the people that did may have committed a crime."

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order in the Oval Office at the White House on March 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump signed an executive order establishing a White House Task Force for the 2026 World Cup. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order in the Oval Office at the White House on March 7, 2025, in Washington, DC (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Trump further added, "Therefore, those on the Unselect Committee, who destroyed and deleted ALL evidence obtained during their two year Witch Hunt of me and many other innocent people, should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level."

He concluded the post and wrote, "The fact is, they were probably responsible for the Documents that were signed on their behalf without the knowledge or consent of the Worst President in the History of our Country, Crooked Joe Biden!"

Caption: WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 20: First lady Jill Biden and U.S. President Joe Biden greet U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump ahead of his Inauguration, at the White House on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th president of the United States. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Former first lady Jill Biden and former President Joe Biden greet President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump ahead of his Inauguration, at the White House on January 20, 2025, in Washington, DC (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons

Former President Joe Biden issued a series of preemptive pardons to many individuals, including his family members like brothers James and Francis Biden, sister Valerie Biden Owens, and their spouses, during his final hours in office.

Moreover, he stated that his family had been "subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me - the worst kind of partisan politics."

 WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 20: U.S. President Joe Biden (L) welcomes U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to the White House ahead of inauguration ceremonies on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th president of the United States. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Former President Joe Biden welcomes President Donald Trump to the White House ahead of inauguration ceremonies on January 20, 2025, in Washington, DC (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Furthermore, Biden issued preemptive pardons for members of the January 6 Committee, including panel Chairman Rep Bennie Thompson and former Republican Rep Liz Cheney, per Daily Mail.

He also granted pardons to prominent figures such as Dr Anthony Fauci, former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and retired General Mark Milley, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Trump's assertion that the use of an autopen invalidates these pardons is unprecedented. The autopen has been employed by presidents for decades to sign various documents, including legislation and executive orders when they are unavailable to sign personally, per the outlet.


WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 28: U.S. President Donald Trump takes a question from a reporter before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on February 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump spoke about his contentious Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump takes a question from a reporter before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on February 28, 2025, in Washington, DC (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Interestingly, many legal experts have usually upheld the validity of autopen signatures.

However, the specific use of these signatures for presidential pardons has not been extensively tested in courts and leaves room for debate.

Internet slams Joe Biden as Donald Trump declares his pardons 'void' over autopen use

Several internet users slammed Joe Biden after Donald Trump declared his pardons "void, vacant and of no further force or effect" amid the ongoing autopen signature controversy involving the former president.

A user wrote on X, "Great move by President Trump to declare those pardons void, this is about accountability and upholding the law. The use of an autopen by Sleepy Joe Biden is a clear indication that he didn't take these pardons seriously, it's a mockery of the system." 

Another added, "The time to investigate is now."



 



 

One person stated, "I guess the pardon party is over," while another asked, "Who is behind the auto pen? We need to find out. This person is due justice."



 



 

One individual wrote, "Joe Biden's policies have negatively impacted American lives. We deeply admire the leadership of President Trump, who has been a strong advocate for restoring freedom and justice," while another commented, "Lock him up!! And the entire Biden Crime Family!! Including corrupt judges!!"



 



 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

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