President Donald Trump has rejected pardons issued by former President Joe Biden — arguing that they are invalid because they were signed using an autopen rather than Biden’s own hand. The announcement follows growing concerns that Biden was not directly involved in key executive decisions during his presidency.
Trump took aim at the matter on Truth Social — stating that Biden “did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them.” The controversy stems from reports revealing that Biden frequently relied on an autopen to authorize executive actions — including last-minute pardons issued in the final hours of his administration.
🚨👀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
Among the individuals granted pardons were members of the Jan. 6 House select committee — including former Rep. Liz Cheney and Rep. Bennie Thompson. Trump has since vowed to investigate these figures — arguing that their pardons do not hold legal weight due to the manner in which they were signed.
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 weighed in on the issue — calling for a full federal investigation into the use of the autopen. Bailey suggested that if Biden did not personally approve executive orders and pardons — the legality of those actions is questionable.
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 conversation by sharing a side-by-side comparison of Biden’s autopen signature and Trump’s handwritten signature. His post quickly gained traction — adding to speculation that Biden’s presidency may have been controlled by unelected aides rather than by the former president himself.
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 scandal has sparked online backlash — with critics pointing out that Biden’s reliance on an autopen raises serious concerns about accountability in government. Elon Musk also commented on the situation — fueling further discussion about who was making key decisions during Biden’s time in office.
Every pardon that was signed via autopen should be thrown out… Starting with them. 👇 pic.twitter.com/YtbqB9wZLU
— The 🐰🕳️ (@TheHoleTweet) March 16, 2025
With Biden’s use of the autopen under the microscope — congressional Republicans have hinted at launching hearings to investigate the matter further.
