President Donald Trump has sparked controversy by claiming that some pardons issued by President Joe Biden are "VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT" because they were signed using an autopen, a robotic device that mechanically copies a signature. In a post on Truth Social, Trump alleged that Biden was unaware of the pardons and that those who used the autopen may have committed a crime.

Trump's claim echoes a conspiracy theory promoted by the conservative Heritage Foundation, which suggested that Biden's signature on several pardons was identical, implying the use of an autopen. The New York Post further claimed that a Biden aide had made unilateral decisions to sign documents using an autopen. However, Biden's public statements about the pardons contradict Trump's assertion that he was unaware of them.

In a January 20th statement, Biden explained that he had pardoned January 6th committee staff and others because he believed they would ultimately be exonerated, but investigations could irreparably damage their reputations and finances. This suggests that Biden was fully aware of the pardons and had made a deliberate decision to issue them.

Trump's claim has sparked debate about the legitimacy of autopen signatures. While presidents and other politicians have long used autopens to sign documents, some argue that it undermines the authenticity of the signature. However, as Bloomberg notes, the Justice Department has held that "neither the Constitution nor statute prescribed the method by which executive clemency shall be exercised or evidenced. It is wholly for the president to decide."

President Ford was among the first to admit to using an autopen, and President Barack Obama signed a bill remotely with an autopen in 2011. Obama cited a Bush White House legal team memo that said the President could sign something "by directing another to affix one's name or seal to the document in one's presence."

Trump's post is seen by some as a continuation of his vendetta against Biden and other political opponents. In the years since losing the 2020 election to Biden, Trump has vowed political revenge multiple times, claiming that Biden would be prosecuted for his "crimes." Trump has made similar claims about Vice President Kamala Harris and Liz Cheney, who served as the vice chair of the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack.

The controversy surrounding Trump's claim highlights the ongoing tensions between the two presidents and their supporters. While some see Trump's claim as a legitimate concern about the authenticity of autopen signatures, others view it as a baseless conspiracy theory designed to undermine Biden's authority.

As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how this controversy will impact the political landscape and the relationship between the two presidents. One thing is certain, however: Trump's claim has sparked a heated discussion about the role of technology in politics and the limits of presidential power.