Trump cancels pardons issued by Biden using an automated signature

US President Donald Trump said last night that he had decided to cancel all documents, including pardons, which he said his predecessor, Joe Biden, had signed using an automated signature device.

The Autopen device is used to accurately reproduce a person’s signature and is usually used in documents of large quantities or of a protocol nature. Presidents of both parties used it to sign official letters and declarations.

Trump and his supporters launched a series of accusations that are not based on evidence that Biden’s use of this device during his presidency invalidates his procedures, or indicates that he was not fully aware of them. It is not known whether Biden used the device in pardon decisions.

Trump wrote on his platform, “Truth Social,” saying, “Anyone who has received a pardon, commutation of sentence, or any other legal document signed in this manner should know that this document has been completely invalidated and has no legal effect.”

Before leaving office in January, Biden issued a number of pardons, some to family members whom he wanted to protect from politically motivated investigations.

He also ordered some sentences to be reduced, including for non-violent drug offenders.