Biden quips that Trump is 'vacant' over voided pardon claims

Former President Biden said President Trump is “vacant" in a jab at Trump's claims that some Biden-era pardons are void.

Trump is “obsessed with the fact that you used an autopen to sign the pardons you issued right before you left office,” co-host Joy Behar said during "The View" on Thursday. “Now, he's calling for investigations and claiming the pardons are void and vacant.” 

“Oh, he’s vacant,” Biden replied, prompting laughter from the daytime talk show audience. 

Trump has claimed that Biden’s last-minute clemencies, including preemptive pardons for several of Trump’s political enemies, are “void” because he signed them with an autopen. 

Behar also pressed Biden on Trump’s repeated mentions of his predecessor in the first 100 days of the new administration, and efforts to blame Biden for a wide range of economic issues. 

“Why is he so fixated on you and blaming you for everything?”

“I beat him,” Biden said to applause. “I’m used to dealing with bullies.”

Biden bested Trump by 74 electoral votes and a 4-point margin in the popular vote in 2020. The rivals were teed up for a rematch in 2024 before Biden's historic decision to end his reelection bid and endorse former Vice President Kamala Harris, who ultimately lost to Trump in the fall.

Biden chatted alone with "The View" co-hosts before he was joined by former first lady Jill Biden for their first interview together since leaving the White House. The former president has been slowly stepping back into the spotlight in recent days since exiting the White House.