In a post on Truth Social that he later confirmed in recorded comments to the media, President Donald Trump announced that he was voiding the pardons issued for the J6 Committee members, including former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) and current Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), for their roles on the J6 Committee, along with Biden’s last-minute pardons of his family members, Gen. Mark Milley, and Dr. Fauci. President Trump justified his decision by explaining that former President Biden wasn’t in his right mind when he signed them.
As background, the main basis for President Trump’s revocation of the pardons for the “Unselect Committee” members, as Trump calls them, and the others, was that the pardon allegedly signed by former President Biden had used an autopen, as was done with most other documents ostensibly signed by him, and thus were not signed by the then-president, which could mean they are invalid. Further, some reports claim that former President Biden didn’t even know about the pardons, casting further doubt on their legitimacy.
In any case, posting about the matter on Truth Social early in the morning on Monday, March 17, President Trump blamed the autopen from the first sentence and declared the pardons totally void, saying, “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.”
Continuing, the president explained why the autopen is a big deal, next alleging that it appears that the former president did not even know what or who was being pardoned. He wrote, “In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them! The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden. He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime.”
President Trump then sounded off on the behavior and activities of the January 6 Committee and vowed to hold them accountable via investigation, writing, “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.”
Concluding, President Trump then slammed the committee members once again and cast further doubts on the legitimacy of the pardon, writing, “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!”
President Trump, speaking on the matter in a video captured by CSPAN, argued that the former president had no idea what was going on and thus the pardons were void. He said, “It’s not my decision. That would be up to a court, but I would say that they’re null and void because I’m sure Biden didn’t have any idea that it was taking place.” Watch him here:
Collin Rugg, adding context on X, noted that the voided pardons include not just the J6 Committee members, but also Fauci, Gen, Mark Milley, and Biden’s family members. Rugg wrote, “JUST IN: President Trump declares Biden’s last minute pardons before leaving office are void due to the alleged use of ‘autopen.’ ‘Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them!’ Biden’s pardons included: – His family members – Dr. Fauci – General Mark Milley – J6 Committee.”
Featured image credit: The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons,