Trump Claims Biden's Pardons Void Due to Autopen Use

story

MAR 17

Above: US Pres. Donald Trump speaking at the Dept. of Justice on March 14, 2025. Image copyright: Andrew Harnik/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images

story last updated MAR 19

The Spin

Republican narrative

The undeniable use of an autopen to sign many important documents, including pardons, from Biden's presidential term raises concerns that someone other than the cognitively declining former president was making major policy decisions in the White House. These documents shouldn't be valid.

FOX News Daily Wire

Democratic narrative

Trump is going full dictator, but luckily the presidential pardon power used by Biden is essentially enshrined, as granted by the Constitution, and can't be revoked by subsequent presidents. The use of autopen is a long-established practice, and there's no requirement for handwritten signatures on presidential documents.

MSNBC The New Republic