Former President Joe Biden is defending his use of the autopen. In a statement Thursday, he insisted he remained fully in charge throughout his time in office. “Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false,” he told ABC News.
The response comes after President Donald Trump launched an investigation into the practice. Trump claims Biden’s aides used an autopen to conceal his cognitive decline. He says this allowed unelected staffers to wield presidential authority.
Biden pushed back hard. “I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations,” he said. “This is nothing more than a distraction by Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans.”
At the heart of the controversy is the autopen—a machine that replicates signatures. It’s been around since the 1800s and used by many public figures, including past presidents. But Trump says its use during Biden’s term crossed a constitutional line.
In a memo Wednesday, Trump warned that the presidential signature holds immense power. “It can enact laws, shape national policy, appoint top officials, and grant pardons,” he wrote. He accused Biden’s staff of abusing that power.
Trump’s claim? That Biden lacked the mental capacity to govern—and the autopen covered for it. “This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history,” Trump wrote. “The public was shielded from knowing who really ran the country.”
He argued that executive actions signed by autopen may be invalid. “If Biden didn’t know what he was signing, those actions are unconstitutional,” Trump said. He also emphasized the need to find out who controlled the autopen.
“Who ran the autopen?” Trump asked in a fact sheet posted by his campaign. “Because whoever that person was, he or she was like the president of the United States.”
Trump has prioritized public signing events since retaking office. He says Americans deserve transparency. “A president should sign it, not use an autopen,” he said.
Now, House Oversight Chairman James Comer is ramping up the pressure. He’s seeking interviews with five top Biden officials, including former Chief of Staff Ron Klain and senior adviser Anita Dunn. The goal: find out who was really making the decisions.
Letters were also sent to Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, and four senior aides. Comer wants transcribed interviews to support the investigation into Biden’s fitness. The probe into Biden’s health—and who signed what—is just getting started.