Joe Biden may be out of office, but he’s not staying silent.
The 82-year-old former president, currently undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, is setting the record straight after months of backlash from MAGA supporters over his use of an autopen to grant presidential pardons during his final weeks in office.
In a rare interview with The New York Times, Biden addressed the growing narrative that he was unaware of the clemency decisions, telling critics plainly: “I made every decision.”
Why the Autopen Was Used for Pardons
During his final days in the White House, Biden’s administration approved clemency for over 1,500 individuals.
With the volume of paperwork, Biden explained, there simply wasn’t time to physically sign every document.
That’s where the autopen came in.
He admitted that he didn’t personally approve every name but instead set clear criteria and categories that allowed certain groups to be processed together.
For example, in one decision, he commuted the sentences of 37 out of 40 people on federal death row, replacing death with life without parole.
Trump and Republicans Slam the Process
Donald Trump and his allies quickly pounced, calling the process “disgraceful” and accusing Biden of being completely out of the loop.
The criticism triggered three separate investigations into Biden’s use of the autopen — one each from the Justice Department, Congress, and the Biden administration itself.
Congressional Republicans have also been interviewing former Biden aides, with some being warned that the Justice Department may pursue perjury charges if their accounts don’t align with official records.
Biden Calls Trump’s Claims Lies
Biden was blunt in his response. “They’re liars,” he said, referring to Trump and GOP figures who’ve questioned his involvement. He maintained that every pardon or commutation issued with the autopen had his full approval, whether he reviewed the individuals directly or signed off on broader eligibility guidelines.
Protecting Family and Close Allies from Future Legal Trouble
In one of the more revealing moments from the interview, Biden shared that he issued pre-emptive pardons to certain people — including family members and top allies — to shield them from what he described as “vindictive” political investigations under a potential second Trump term.
“I made those calls consciously,” Biden said, citing the example of General Mark Milley, who he believes would have been unfairly targeted.
“I told them I wanted to make sure he had a pardon because I knew exactly what Trump would do.”
The Only Hand-Signed Pardon Went to Hunter
Interestingly, there was only one pardon Biden physically signed with pen and ink: the one for his son, Hunter Biden.
That sweeping pardon protects Hunter from federal prosecution for any crimes committed between 2014 and December 2024 — a decision that’s expected to remain politically charged for years.
Emails Back Biden’s Involvement
According to sources, tens of thousands of internal emails from November 2024 to January 2025 have been handed over to investigators.
These emails contain key words like “pardon” and “clemency” and allegedly show that White House staffers ran all final decisions by Biden before making them public.
Some announcements were even revised at the last minute after Biden gave personal feedback, indicating he was actively involved, even if not holding the pen himself.
A Second Public Pushback from Biden
This interview marks the second time Biden has pushed back publicly against Trump’s claims.
The first came after his prostate cancer diagnosis in June, when he issued a direct statement defending his actions as president:
“I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations.
Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false.”
He also accused Trump of using the controversy to distract from internal MAGA division, particularly around the party’s infighting over the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
Biden Isn’t Backing Down
Despite his health battles and time away from public life, Biden is clearly not ready to let misinformation go unchecked.
With three investigations still underway and MAGA rhetoric heating up, the clemency saga may be far from over — but Biden wants to make one thing clear: he was in charge until the very end.