President Trump declared the pardons issued by Joe Biden as “void, vacant, and of no further force or effect” because they were done by “autopen.”
“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,” Trump said.
“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 continued.
“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!” he added.
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. In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more…
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) March 17, 2025
Fox News reports:
While aboard Air Force One on Sunday night, Trump was asked whether executive orders and pardons signed by Biden via an autopen are void.
“I think so. It’s not my decision. That would be up to a court,” Trump replied.
Trump’s comments come after the Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project suggested that an autopen had been heavily used during Biden’s White House tenure.
“We gathered every document we could find with Biden’s signature over the course of his presidency. All used the same autopen signature except for the announcement that the former President was dropping out of the race last year. Here is the autopen signature,” the Oversight Project declared in a post on X earlier this month.
In a statement on Jan. 20, the same day he departed from office, Biden announced that he was pardoning “General Mark A. Milley, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the Members of Congress and staff who served on the Select Committee, and the U.S. Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan police officers who testified before the Select Committee.”
“I would say that they’re null and void because I’m sure Biden didn’t have any idea that it was taking place,” Trump said.
WATCH:
🚨 REPORTER: “Are those [autopen] pardons from the former President now null and void?”
TRUMP: “I would say that they're null and void because I'm sure Biden didn't have any idea that it was taking place … What they did is criminal.” pic.twitter.com/R9OD7kAtJb
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) March 17, 2025
Per NBC News:
It’s unclear if the president was planning imminent action or an investigation against the committee members.
A presidential pardon needs to be fully delivered to the recipient and the president can’t pardon crimes related to impeachment — but it is not clear what legal avenue Trump intends to pursue to undo Biden’s orders.
The White House and a representative of former President Joe Biden did not immediately respond to NBC News’ requests for comment.
Biden ordered the pre-emptive pardons in January in one of his final acts in office. Biden said he took the action to ensure that public figures who had investigated and criticized Trump while in office would not face retaliatory action under his new administration.
Trump has argued that the committee members are guilty of unspecified “major crimes,” writing the phrase in all capital letters in a text message to NBC News after Biden issued the pardons in January.
The panel’s members were Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who was then a House member; former Reps. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., Elaine Luria, D-Va., and Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla.; and current Reps. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.
Former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley and Dr. Anthony Fauci also received pre-emptive pardons from Biden.