Trump Declares Biden’s Pardons Void, Threatens Investigation into Jan. 6 Committee

In an assertive move on Monday, President Donald Trump announced that he would be voiding the last-minute pardons issued by former President Joe Biden, accusing the previous administration of misusing the autopen to execute the clemency actions. Trump took to Truth Social to make his statement, claiming that the pardons, many of which benefitted figures tied to the January 6th House Select Committee, were issued without Biden’s direct knowledge.

Trump’s declaration read, “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 they were done by Autopen.” In addition, Trump emphasized that Biden was unaware of these actions, pointing to his concerns regarding the president’s age and cognitive abilities at 82. “In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them, but more importantly, he did not know anything about them!” Trump wrote.

The preemptive pardons that Biden issued in the final hours of his presidency included clemency for members of the January 6th Committee, such as Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.). These pardons were seen as controversial due to their association with the politically charged investigation into Trump’s role in the Capitol riot.

Trump’s statement suggested that these pardons were executed without proper review or consent from Biden, calling the process into question. “The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden,” Trump stated, before further implying that those behind these actions may have committed a crime.

Trump did not stop at criticizing the pardons. He warned that members of the January 6th Committee who were involved in securing pardons could soon be the subject of a major investigation. “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,” Trump declared.

Among the notable figures granted clemency were General Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, Biden’s former chief medical advisor. Milley had publicly criticized Trump, particularly for his actions around the events of January 6. Fauci, who faced Republican backlash for his handling of the pandemic, was accused of downplaying the theory that COVID-19 originated from a Chinese lab. Critics, including Trump, have raised concerns about Fauci’s role in funding controversial gain-of-function research.

In his post, Trump expressed outrage over Biden’s pardon actions, calling them “disgraceful” and accusing some of the pardoned individuals of “MAJOR CRIMES.” Trump’s words have raised questions about the legitimacy of these pardons, as he continues to challenge the actions of the previous administration.

The legal status of Biden’s pardons remains unclear. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has suggested that several of Biden’s executive orders, including the pardons, were signed with the autopen, calling into question their constitutionality. Bailey has called for an investigation by the Department of Justice to determine whether Biden’s cognitive decline allowed his staff to push through significant policies without his approval.

As Trump pushes forward with his investigation over the validity of Biden’s last-minute pardons, the legal and political fallout from these actions is sure to unfold over the coming months.