Trump’s DOJ Probes Biden Pardons, Raises Alarming Questions About Competency and Autopen Use
President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice has launched a formal investigation into a series of controversial pardons and sentence commutations issued by former President Joe Biden during the final days of his administration—including those granted to members of Biden’s own family.
According to internal communications obtained by Reuters, Pardon Attorney Ed Martin confirmed that he is examining whether Biden was mentally competent to issue those clemency orders, or if others exploited his condition through the use of an autopen—a device that mechanically replicates a person’s signature. Critics of Biden, including many in the conservative legal community, have raised longstanding concerns about the authenticity of executive actions signed in this manner, particularly during the twilight of his presidency.
The scope of the DOJ probe reportedly includes preemptive pardons granted by Biden to at least five members of his own family, along with a sweeping move to spare 37 death row inmates, commuting their sentences to life imprisonment. The legality, ethical foundation, and transparency of those acts are now under scrutiny.
While Reuters notes that it remains unclear whether Biden actually used the autopen to sign these pardons, the investigation aims to determine whether the former president fully understood the actions he was taking—or if key political operatives orchestrated the process behind the scenes.
Family Ties Under Scrutiny
Just before handing over power to President Trump on January 20, 2025, Biden issued pardons to his siblings James Biden, Frank Biden, and Valerie Biden Owens, along with their spouses John Owens and Sara Biden. Notably, Biden also granted a controversial pardon to his embattled son Hunter Biden, who had pled guilty to tax violations and was convicted on firearms-related charges.
The internal DOJ memo did not specify which of these family members' pardons are the focus of the current investigation, nor did it name the official who directed Martin to begin the probe.
However, Martin has gone public with details of the unfolding inquiry, stating in a recent appearance on 2WAY Tonight with journalist Mark Halperin that a credible whistleblower came forward with explosive allegations.
“I had a whistleblower in my office 10 days ago — senior, senior Democrat — saying, ‘Look, it was these three people that controlled access, and they were making money off of it,’” Martin revealed. “I don’t know if I believe it yet, but the point is, I think, we have to get to the bottom of it for the American people and to protect the process, and that’s what we’re doing.”
Biden’s Inner Circle Implicated
Martin identified the three initial “gatekeepers” as Ron Klain, Biden’s former chief of staff; Anita Dunn, a former senior adviser; and Robert Bauer, who previously served as personal counsel to President Barack Obama.
Later, Martin expanded the list, naming Steve Ricchetti, a longtime Biden confidante and 2020 campaign chairman, and First Lady Jill Biden as also being closely involved in the pardons process.
When asked whether former National Security Adviser Susan Rice or others played a role, Martin said the whistleblower indicated, “‘No, these were the ones.’”
Energy Policy and the Autopen Question
Outside the Justice Department, watchdog groups are sounding the alarm on the broader use of the autopen under Biden’s administration. One such group, Power the Future, which advocates for pro-American energy policy, flagged eight executive orders related to U.S. energy policy that Biden never publicly discussed.
“These are not obscure bureaucratic memos; these were foundational shifts in American energy policy, yet not once did Joe Biden speak about them publicly,” said Daniel Turner, founder and executive director of Power The Future, in a statement to Fox News.
Among the orders in question: a 2023 Arctic drilling ban, a 2021 executive directive mandating net-zero federal emissions by 2050, a controversial order establishing “clean energy” AI centers, and a sweeping offshore drilling ban issued shortly before Biden left office.
With mounting evidence and credible testimony now coming to light, President Trump’s Justice Department appears committed to exposing the truth—and potentially unraveling a web of political manipulation and questionable legality at the highest levels of Biden’s former administration.