Trump made the declaration in a post on his Truth Social media platform, saying recipients of any pardon, commutation or other legal document signed by autopen should consider them 'fully and completely terminated' and 'of no legal effect.'
The autopen is a device historically used by U.S. presidents to replicate their signatures for high‑volume or ceremonial paperwork, a practice adopted by presidents of both major parties.
According to law professors such as Bernadette Meyler (Stanford Law School) and Mark Osler (University of St. Thomas School of Law), there is 'absolutely no constitutional or legal basis' for a sitting president to retroactively revoke a predecessor's pardons simply because they were autopen‑signed.
Another expert, Brian Kalt of Michigan State University College of Law, said that any attempt to invalidate pardons would require a court and only a court to declare them invalid, which would demand proof that Biden did not authorize the signatures.
It is not publicly known whether Biden actually used an autopen for all pardons or commutations and so far, no evidence has surfaced to confirm that.
Meanwhile, Trump is no stranger to clemency powers: since taking office a second time in January 2025, he has issued dozens of pardons and commutations including for high‑profile figures such as former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández.
Rania Umutoni
