President Donald Trump criticized former President Joe Biden, claiming that pardons signed by Biden for the January 6th committee are “VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT” because they were allegedly signed using an autopen without Biden’s knowledge. Trump labeled the committee as the “Unselect Committee of Political Thugs” and asserted that Biden was unaware of the pardons, suggesting potential criminality among those involved. He also accused the committee of destroying evidence during their investigation. Trump shared images mocking Biden’s use of the autopen, emphasizing that it questions Biden’s awareness of document approvals.
In a sharp critique aimed at former President Joe Biden, US President Donald Trump proclaimed that the presidential pardons issued are “VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT”—asserting that they were signed with an autopen without Biden’s knowledge or consent.
Trump’s remarks, shared on his Truth Social account, primarily focused on members of the House Select Committee investigating the January 6th Capitol riot, whom he referred to as the “Unselect Committee of Political Thugs.” He contended that any pardons linked to this committee lack legitimacy due to the alleged use of the autopen, a device that reproduces a person’s signature. “The ‘Pardons’ that Sleepy Joe Biden granted to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, among others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, due to the fact that they were executed by Autopen. In essence, Joe Biden did not sign them and was, more importantly, unaware of them!” Trump stated.
“The necessary Pardoning Documents were neither explained to nor approved by Biden. He had no knowledge of them, and those who did may have committed a crime,” Trump wrote. He also accused members of the January 6th committee of having “destroyed and deleted ALL evidence” from their investigation and suggested they could face legal consequences while continuing to criticize Biden. “Those on the Unselect Committee, who destroyed and deleted ALL evidence gathered during their two-year Witch Hunt against me and many other innocent individuals, should fully recognize that they are subject to investigation at the highest level. The truth is, they likely were 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!” Trump added in his statement.
Trump mocks Biden’s claimed autopen utilization
Prior to his social media statement, Trump posted an image comprising three pictures: his official presidential portrait from his first term, a depiction of Biden’s autopen, and a portrait symbolizing a second term for Trump. He highlighted the post on his account, amplifying the message for his followers.
“The individual who truly held the office of President during the Biden years was the one who controlled the Autopen!” Trump jested in another post.
The autopen’s usage by U.S. presidents is not a new practice. This device has been utilized for decades to expedite the signing of official documents when the president cannot do so in person. Both Republican and Democratic administrations have incorporated this tool.
The application of the autopen has differed across various presidential administrations. While the Department of Justice has confirmed its legality, individual presidents have followed distinct protocols regarding its use. During his time in office, George W. Bush chose not to use the device. Conversely, Barack Obama selectively employed it, notably for signing a significant appropriations measure in 2013.
Trump was recently disclosed to have limited the autopen’s usage during his second term, citing concerns about Biden’s administration frequently ‘misusing’ it. The use of the autopen mechanism, which replicates signatures, was reportedly minimized in Trump’s administration, as indicated by sources cited in the New York Post. “We do not utilize the autopen even for more routine tasks, such as inviting foreign leaders to the White House. The President personally signs all these documents in the presence of witnesses. We may sometimes use the autopen when a single document needs multiple presidential signatures, or when multiple copies of a single document are to be signed, but only after the President has personally signed off and solely at his direction,” states an internal memo from Trump’s staff secretary, William Scharf.
Read more: Trump to limit usage of ‘autopen’ in response to claims of ‘misuse’ of Biden’s signature
Reports indicate concerns regarding the potential unauthorized use of Biden’s autopen for signing important documents, fueling doubts about the former president’s awareness of approvals granted under his signature. Close aides to Biden have allegedly expressed worries that a senior official may have overstepped authority while utilizing the electronic signature mechanism.