On January 20, 2025, in his final hours as president, Joe Biden issued a series of preemptive pardons to protect a roster of political allies and family members from potential prosecution under President Donald Trump’s incoming administration. Among the recipients were former Representative Liz Cheney, Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired General Mark Milley, and members of the House January 6 Committee, including Chairman Bennie Thompson and former Representative Adam Kinzinger.
Multiple Pardons Granted By Autopen Without Biden’s Approval https://t.co/1qCGjzZrqO
— FUZZ (@fuzzpatriot) July 14, 2025
These pardons, covering unspecified federal offenses from January 1, 2014, to January 20, 2025, were intended to thwart Trump’s promised investigations into perceived enemies. However, a bombshell revelation has cast doubt on their validity: many of these pardons were signed using an autopen, reportedly at the direction of White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, without Biden’s direct approval. This move reeks of deep state desperation, and President Trump’s vow to declare these pardons “void” signals a fierce battle to restore justice.
The Autopen Scandal: Undermining Presidential Authority
The Pardons: Protecting the Elite
The pardons targeted individuals Trump has publicly criticized. Liz Cheney, a former Republican turned Kamala Harris ally, faced Trump’s ire for her role as vice chair of the January 6 Committee, which he called a “Witch Hunt” that “destroyed and deleted ALL evidence.” Trump posted on Truth Social in March 2025, “SHE SHOULD BE PROSECUTED FOR WHAT SHE HAS DONE TO OUR COUNTRY!” Fauci, vilified by conservatives for his COVID-19 policies, was targeted by Trump allies like Elon Musk, who posted on X in December 2024, “My pronouns are Prosecute/Fauci.” Milley, who called Trump a “fascist” in a 2024 book, was accused by Trump of treason for October 20, 2020, and January 8, 2021, calls to China, with Trump suggesting in 2023 that such acts once warranted execution. The January 6 Committee, including Democrats like Thompson and Senator-elect Adam Schiff, faced Trump’s wrath for recommending criminal charges in 2022.
I CALL ON AG PAM BONDI TO CHARGE FAUCI FOR LYING TO CONGRESS!
And when, in his legal defense, claims that he cannot be charged because he has a preemptive pardon, the government can finally test the legality of the autopen in which all of those documents should not be honored. pic.twitter.com/lYMiUqTJrD
— Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) July 14, 2025
Biden justified the pardons in a January 20, 2025, statement, claiming recipients faced “unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions” that could “irreparably damage reputations and finances.” He praised Fauci’s 38-year career, Milley’s 43 years of military service, and the committee’s “integrity” in probing the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Cheney and Thompson, in a joint statement, insisted they were pardoned “not for breaking the law but for upholding it.” Fauci, in a January 20 interview with ABC News, said, “I have committed no crime,” but accepted the pardon due to “intolerable distress” from threats.
The Legal Battle: Are the Pardons Void?
Trump’s March 17, 2025, Truth Social post vowed to investigate January 6 Committee members for allegedly destroying evidence, claiming the autopen pardons were a staff-driven scheme. Legal experts, cited by FactCheck.org on March 21, 2025, dismiss Trump’s blanket claim that autopen signatures automatically void pardons, noting the DOJ’s 2005 stance and the lack of a constitutional requirement for manual signatures. However, Trump’s argument hinges on Biden’s alleged lack of consent. If proven, this could undermine the pardons, as presidential intent is paramount. No evidence confirms Biden was unaware, but his January 8, 2025, USA Today interview—where he said pardon decisions depended on Trump’s appointees—suggests he was still deliberating, casting doubt on his involvement in the final act.
The Supreme Court has not directly addressed autopen pardons, but its July 8, 2025, ruling in Trump v. American Federation of Government Employees, upholding Trump’s workforce reduction executive order, signals deference to presidential authority. A challenge to Biden’s pardons could reach the Court, especially if Trump’s DOJ, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, pursues prosecutions. Bondi, during her January 2025 confirmation hearing, dodged questions about targeting Trump’s foes but denied an “enemies list” at the DOJ. Kash Patel, Trump’s FBI director nominee, has vowed to pursue “government gangsters,” fueling speculation of probes into Cheney, Fauci, and others.
Current Developments: Trump’s Push for Justice
As of July 14, 2025, Trump’s administration is actively challenging the pardons. Posts on X from July 13–14, including from accounts like @Bannons_WarRoom and @vpopulimedia, claim aides confirmed Zients’ role in authorizing the autopen, citing a New York Times report. These posts, while unverified, reflect conservative sentiment that the pardons are a “deep state” cover-up. Trump’s team, including adviser Mike Davis, argued on March 17, 2025, that the lack of Biden’s direct approval invalidates the pardons, urging prosecutions of Cheney, Schiff, and others. The Oversight Project, a conservative group, noted on X that only Biden’s exit letter and Hunter’s pardon bore manual signatures, bolstering Trump’s case.
The DOJ has not yet filed charges, but Trump’s rhetoric suggests investigations are imminent. On January 20, 2025, at his inauguration, Trump called the pardons “unfortunate,” arguing they make Biden “look very bad, very weak and very guilty.” He reiterated this on March 17, claiming the January 6 Committee and others are “subject to investigation at the highest level.” Legal scholars warn that overturning pardons is unprecedented, as no mechanism exists for a president to void a predecessor’s clemency. However, if evidence emerges that Zients acted without Biden’s knowledge, courts could deem the pardons invalid, though this remains speculative.
The America First Perspective: A Betrayal of Justice
Biden’s autopen pardons are a shameful attempt to shield a corrupt elite from accountability. Cheney’s role in the January 6 Committee, which conservatives see as a partisan attack on Trump, and Fauci’s COVID policies, blamed for economic harm and vaccine mandates, make them prime targets for investigation. Milley’s China calls and Schiff’s impeachment efforts further fuel suspicions of a deep state conspiracy. The autopen scandal only deepens this betrayal, suggesting Biden was a figurehead for unelected aides like Zients, who flouted constitutional norms to protect their allies.
Public sentiment aligns with Trump. A July 2024 Rasmussen Reports poll found 62% of Americans believe federal agencies acted with bias in 2016, and Trump’s 2024 victory—by 2 million popular votes—reflects a mandate to drain the swamp. The 690% surge in attacks on ICE agents, reported by DHS on July 7, 2025, underscores the Left’s willingness to incite chaos to protect its own, making these pardons a continuation of that pattern.
Where do we go from here?
Biden’s preemptive pardons, signed by autopen on January 20, 2025, represent a desperate bid to shield Liz Cheney, Anthony Fauci, Mark Milley, and others from Trump’s promised reckoning. The revelation that Jeff Zients, not Biden, may have authorized these pardons has sparked a conservative outcry, with Trump declaring them void on March 17, 2025. While legal experts doubt the pardons can be overturned without proof of Biden’s non-consent, the controversy fuels America First demands for justice. As Trump’s DOJ gears up for investigations, the fight to nullify these pardons will test the rule of law and expose the deep state’s grip on power. The American people deserve answers, and the truth must prevail.