By Reagan Reese, Daily Caller News Foundation | July 13, 2025
Former President Joe Biden told the New York Times that he granted his staff the use of his autopen because he “had granted clemency to so many people.”
For the first time in an interview with the NYT, Biden addressed House Republican and the Trump administration’s investigations into his alleged use of the autopen to sign various documents while in the White House.
The former president told the outlet that he personally approved all of the pardons and commutations at the end of his term but had directed his staff to use the autopen on clemency warrants because “we’re talking about a whole lot of people.”
“I made every decision,” Biden told the NYT of the 25 pardons and commutations in which the autopen was used from December 2024 to January 2025.
Biden also addressed the pardons he made for prominent figures like his family or Gen. Mark A. Milley and Dr. Anthony Fauci. The former president only signed one pardon with his own hand from December to January and it was for his son Hunter Biden. The former president told the outlet that he addressed each “high-profile pardon” personally with his aides.
“Everybody knows how vindictive he is, so we knew that they’d do what they’re doing now,” Biden told the outlet, saying he wanted to shield his family from large legal bills fighting potential cases.
Biden also addressed the pardons he made for prominent figures like his family or Gen. Mark A. Milley and Dr. Anthony Fauci. The former president only signed one pardon with his own hand from December to January and it was for his son Hunter Biden. The former president told the outlet that he addressed each “high-profile pardon” personally with his aides.
“Everybody knows how vindictive he is, so we knew that they’d do what they’re doing now,” Biden told the outlet, saying he wanted to shield his family from large legal bills fighting potential cases.
Regan Reese is a white house correspondent at the Daily Caller News Foundation
Original article link
