^{Photo: Bloomberg.com}

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday a sweeping directive nullifying any documents he claims were signed by former President Joe Biden using an autopen, including pardons, commutations, and other federal instruments. The move marks one of Trump’s most aggressive attempts yet to challenge the legitimacy of his predecessor’s executive actions.

The autopen, a mechanical device capable of producing precise, authenticated signatures, has been used by presidents from both parties for decades. It is commonly relied upon for high-volume correspondence, ceremonial proclamations, and routine approvals. While its use is longstanding and legally permitted, Trump and several of his allies have repeatedly argued that documents signed this way by Biden were invalid, although no evidence has been presented to support these claims. There has also been no confirmation that Biden used the autopen for pardons during his term.

In a sharply worded post on Truth Social, Trump instructed that any pardon, commutation, or federal document believed to be signed via autopen during the previous administration is now “fully and completely terminated” and should be treated as having “no legal effect.” This directive introduces fresh uncertainty for individuals impacted by Biden-era pardons, including families who benefited from clemency decisions and non-violent offenders whose sentences were reduced in what the Biden administration framed as criminal justice reform.

Before completing his term in January, Biden issued multiple pardons and commutations, including actions aimed at shielding relatives from what he described as politically motivated inquiries. He also approved clemency for individuals convicted of low-level drug offenses, part of a broader effort to reduce federal sentences for non-violent crimes.

Trump’s order comes amid his ongoing campaign to question Biden’s fitness for office and the authenticity of his decision-making process. Throughout Biden’s presidency, Trump frequently claimed that aides were the ones truly directing policy and signing documents, assertions Biden’s former staff and advisers have firmly rejected. They maintain that Biden was fully engaged in reviewing, approving, and authorizing all official actions.

The new directive is expected to trigger legal debate and administrative confusion, particularly since autopen signatures have long been considered legally valid under federal policy. It also raises questions about how agencies will determine which documents, if any, were signed using the device and whether Trump’s action could face court challenges.

As the administration moves forward with enforcing the directive, it underscores a broader political strategy rooted in reexamining and, in some cases, rescinding key actions taken during Biden’s presidency.