A fiery claim from former President Donald Trump is provoking renewed scrutiny of President Joe Biden’s leadership—and raising questions about trust, transparency, and constitutional authority.

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Trump Sparks Debate with Autopen Claims

During a recent campaign appearance, Donald Trump reignited controversy by suggesting that President Joe Biden did not personally sign portions of his executive orders, instead using an autopen—a robotic device that replicates handwritten signatures.

“If someone else is signing executive orders, what does that say about the man in the Oval Office?” Trump asked, implying that aides, not Biden himself, wielded presidential authority.

Though no direct evidence was provided, Trump’s assertion taps into long-standing criticisms about Biden’s fitness for office and mental acuity.

 

Biden Immediately Denies Allegations

Responding to the accusations, President Biden spoke with ABC News, dismissing the autopen allegations as “ridiculous and false.”

“I made the decisions during my presidency,” Biden said firmly. “I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false.”

He also rebuffed Trump’s calls for an inquiry into his mental fitness as mere political distractions, emphasizing that all executive actions were authorized by him.

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Autopen Use: Legal—but Politically Contentious

The autopen, a mechanical signing device, is well entrenched in presidential operations. Presidents such as George W. Bush and Barack Obama used it—particularly while traveling—for routine documents. In 2005, the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel confirmed its legality as long as the president authorized its use.

In Biden’s case, autopen use appears to have been limited. White House aides reportedly flew bills to him abroad—such as a $40 billion Ukraine aid package in South Korea and another bill in St. Croix—to ensure he physically signed. The autopen was employed only when logistics made in-person signing infeasible—for instance, to continue FAA funding when he was in San Francisco.

Yet Trump and allies argue usage was far more widespread, citing analysis from conservative groups like the Oversight Project, which found identical autopen-style signatures across nearly all Biden executive orders—with an exception for his withdrawal announcement.

GOP-Led Investigations: Senate and Executive Action

Republicans have seized on these claims:

  • Senate Judiciary Committee, led by Sen. John Cornyn, held a contentious hearing on June 18 probing Biden’s mental fitness and allegeding widespread autopen use.

  • Trump’s White House issued a presidential memorandum empowering AG Pam Bondi and White House Counsel David Warrington to launch a formal investigation, alleging a conspiratorial effort by aides to conceal Biden’s cognitive decline through autopen use.

  • The House Oversight Committee has issued subpoenas to former Biden staff and his physician to testify on whether they orchestrated executive actions in his stead.

Legal Experts Push Back on Void Pardons Theory

Trump has gone further, claiming Biden’s pardons are “void” because they were autopen-signed. However, constitutional scholars reject this assertion:

PolitiFact reports there is no legal precedent for invalidating an autopen-signed pardon.

DOJ guidance held since 2005 states that a president’s directive to use autopen is legally valid.

Experts maintain that unless Biden did not approve the actions themselves, they stand valid regardless of the signature method.

Biden: Firm in Public Response

Biden’s messaging has been consistent:

He reasserted that all decisions were his alone.

The administration stresses autopen use was rare and logistical—not symptomatic of incapacity.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump’s claims aim to artificially sow doubt, prompting calls for accountability only as a political tactic.

Historical Context: Autopen Is Not New

Editorial commentary notes that autopens—or their precursors—have been used since Thomas Jefferson’s polygraph, with presidents such as Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, Obama, and Bush employing them. The device raises no constitutional issues when used responsibly and authorized properly.

Why It Matters Now

This autopen dispute sits at the nexus of several significant political concerns:

Presidential Competency: Trump leverages it to raise doubts over Biden’s cognitive fitness amid ongoing scrutiny rooted in his age and past debate performance.

Executive Authority: Critics claim misuse of autopen could undercut decades of presidential legitimacy.

Partisan Battles: Republicans are pressing these allegations to strengthen their political position leading into the upcoming campaign season.

Media Narratives: Coverage has intensified, keeping this controversy in headlines and fueling the perception battle over Biden’s legacy.

Outlook: What’s Coming

Investigations & Hearings

AG Bondi’s probe will examine autopen use in pardons, executive orders, and whether aides conspired to conceal Biden’s condition.

Republicans will continue subpoenas as part of a broader political strategy.

Legal Battles

Courts may eventually decide the legality of any contestations over autopen-signed documents—though experts maintain these claims are weak.

Public Perception

Biden must continue to defend his active role in governance.

Trump will persist in framing the issue as part of his messaging on Biden’s capabilities and on restoring executive strength.

This autopen controversy—jumpstarted by Trump’s explosive allegations—signals a new battleground in the broader fight over presidential legacy, public trust, and political strategy. As investigations proceed and hearings unfold, Americans will watch closely to see if these signature machines mark a path toward legal consequences—or fade as another partisan flashpoint.