Donald Trump dismissed his predecessor's last-minute pardons as "void, vacant, and no further force or effect," while warning that members of the House committee investigating the January 6 riots could now be prosecuted.
On Sunday night, Trump argued that the pardons were unenforceable because Joe Biden had used an autopen, even suggesting that they may have been approved without the former president's awareness. "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 of the fact that they were done by Autopen," Trump posted on Truth Social early Monday morning.
Trump Scraps Biden's Signature
"In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them!" he said of the oldest-ever president and concerns at his age-related mental abilities at 82.
The 47th president further claimed that the pardons had not been "approved" by his predecessor.
"The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden," he wrote. "He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime."
Trump also warned that members of the former January 6 House select committee who received pardons from Biden would be "subject to investigation at the highest level."
"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 wrote Monday.
"The fact is, they were probably 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!"
Biden granted preemptive pardons to all nine members of the January 6 Committee, including its two key figures—Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi, and former Rep. Liz Cheney, a Wyoming Republican who later vowed to support then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2025 election.
More Questions on Biden's Mental Health
On his final day in office, Biden issued a series of last-minute pardons, which included preemptive clemency for Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley and Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Milley, who has publicly referred to Trump as a "wannabe dictator," played a key role in the House investigation, detailing Trump's actions surrounding the deadly January 6 attack.
Meanwhile, Fauci, who served as Biden's chief medical advisor until retiring in 2022, faced backlash for repeatedly dismissing the theory that Covid-19 likely originated from a Chinese lab leak.
Trump and other Republicans have accused the 84-year-old doctor of misleading Congress about critical aspects of his handling of the pandemic.
Trump was furious over Biden's preemptive pardons, denouncing the decision as "disgraceful" and declaring, "Many are guilty of MAJOR CRIMES!"
It remains unclear whether any court will take action to overturn Biden's pardons based on the autopen allegations.
Last week, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey raised concerns that multiple executive orders signed by Biden bore identical autopen signatures. He argued that if proven true, these executive orders, pardons, and other official actions would be unconstitutional and legally invalid.
