President Donald Trump declared on Truth Social that he was using an autopen to invalidate all executive orders and documents signed by former President Joe Biden, declaring them to be illegal and meaningless. [from earlier] He threatened to charge Biden with perjury if he denied that almost 92% of his documents relied on the device without his direct input.
Mr. Trump previously ordered an investigation into the Biden White House’s use of the autopen to sign presidential documents like pardons, claiming there was a “conspiracy” to “abuse the power of presidential signatures through the use of an autopen to conceal Biden’s cognitive decline.”
In a July statement, Biden called Mr. Trump’s claims “nothing more than distraction.”
“Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false,” Biden said.
House Republicans released a report last month that was critical of Biden’s autopen use, but did not include clear evidence that his aides conspired to sign laws or other directives without his knowledge.
Presidents have long used an autopen to sign documents. In 2005, the Justice Department under President George W. Bush said the president can legally use an autopen to sign bills into law.
In March, Mr. Trump acknowledged he has also used an autopen, but “only for very unimportant papers.”
Presidents have long used an autopen to sign documents. In 2005, the Justice Department under President George W. Bush said the president can legally use an autopen to sign bills into law.
In March, Mr. Trump acknowledged he has also used an autopen, but “only for very unimportant papers.”