President Trump announced that the last-minute pardons issued by former President Joe Biden to the congressional Select Committee that investigated the January 6 Capitol riot are “void, vacant and of no further effect.”

The Details: Trump made the announcement shortly after midnight on Monday via Truth Social. Trump alleged the pardons are invalid as they were signed using an autopen – a device that replicates a person's signature.

Key Quotes: “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. Therefore, those on the Unselect Committee… are subject to investigation at the highest level.” Trump later told reporters, “It’s not my decision – that’ll be up to a court – but I would say that they’re null and void.”

For Context: Hours before leaving office, Biden issued preemptive pardons to members of the January 6 committee to prevent Trump from seeking “revenge” against them. Biden also pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired General Mark Milley, and members of his family including his son, Hunter.

How The Media Covered It: Bloomberg (Lean Left), Newsweek (Center), and Daily Mail (Right) all referred to the pardons as “11th hour” and/or “last-minute.” Bloomberg and Newsweek noted that in 2024 a federal appeals court ruled pardons don’t even have to be issued in writing and that presidents have been using the autopen tool for decades.

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