White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt fired back at CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Monday after the reporter pressed for evidence regarding President Donald Trump’s claim that pardons signed by Joe Biden were “void.”
During a White House press briefing, Collins questioned Leavitt about Trump’s post on Truth Social, where he suggested that some of Biden’s last-minute pardons were invalid because they were allegedly signed by auto-pen without his direct authorization.
Collins, CNN’s chief White House correspondent, repeatedly asked if there was any proof to support Trump’s assertion. Leavitt responded bluntly, saying, “You’re a reporter, you should find out.”
Elon Musk Called This Financial News ‘Terrifying’
On Monday morning, Trump raised concerns about the legitimacy of Biden’s pardons, specifically mentioning preemptive pardons for former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley and Dr. Anthony Fauci.
“The ‘Pardons’ that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen,” Trump wrote.
Trump further alleged that Biden had no knowledge of the pardons and questioned whether his staff had engaged in unlawful activity.
“The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden. He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime,” Trump stated.
HOLY SMOKES
Trump says the pardons that Joe Biden gave are VOID because they were done by Autopen pic.twitter.com/zikw4Yw8C2
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 17, 2025
American Made Patriotic Apparel – Save 15% with Promo Code MERICA
Collins followed up by asking whether Trump’s legal advisors had spoken with him before he made his claims.
Leavitt reiterated the broader issue at hand, questioning whether Biden was even aware of the pardons being issued in his name.
“The president was raising the point, did the president even know about these pardons? Was his legal signature used without his consent or knowledge?” Leavitt said.
She went further, pressing reporters to investigate the matter.
“I think it’s a question that everybody in this room should be looking into, because certainly that would propose perhaps criminal or illegal behavior if staff members were signing the president of the United States’ autograph without his consent,” she added.
Karoline Leavitt just SCORCHED CNN’s Kaitlan Collins!
She tried to ask a jaded question about Trump nullifying the autopen pardons done by “Biden.”
“Is there any evidence that he wasn’t aware of it? You’re a reporter. You should find out.”pic.twitter.com/ZAJVj1XK93
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) March 17, 2025
Beyond questioning the validity of Biden’s pardons, Trump also took aim at those involved in investigations against him, particularly members of the House committee that probed the events of January 6.
“Therefore, those on the Unselect Committee, who destroyed and deleted ALL evidence obtained during their two year Witch Hunt of me, and many other innocent people, should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level,” Trump wrote.
The dispute over Biden’s pardons now raises legal and constitutional questions regarding the use of the auto-pen for presidential actions.
The White House has yet to provide an official response to Trump’s claims, while the debate over the validity of Biden’s pardons continues to unfold.
The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.
Read the full article here