President Donald Trump has reportedly now initiated an investigation into whether aides to former President Joe Biden improperly utilized an autopen for executive actions, potentially to conceal concerns about Biden’s health.
In a memo issued on Wednesday, Trump directed the Counsel to the President to explore allegations of conspiracy to mislead the public regarding Biden’s mental capacity while in office.
The investigation aims to determine if certain individuals conspired to disguise Biden’s inability to fulfill presidential duties through the use of a mechanical signature device.
Trump expressed concerns that if Biden’s advisors did indeed use the autopen to execute significant executive actions, it could represent an unconstitutional exercise of presidential power.
“This would have implications for the legality and validity of numerous executive actions undertaken in Biden’s name,” he noted.
While presidents are permitted to use autopens for signing documents, the Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project has scrutinized Biden’s signatures, revealing that a number of critical documents, including late pardons for public figures such as Dr. Anthony Fauci and General Mark Milley, bore autopen signatures.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, claimed that these pardons were “VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT.”
The controversy surrounding Biden’s use of the autopen has intensified amid ongoing scrutiny of his health, particularly following reports of his battle with an aggressive form of prostate cancer.
Congressional Republicans, including House Oversight Chairman James Comer, have expressed skepticism regarding Biden’s condition and are examining potential attempts to obscure the truth.
Comer has demanded testimony from former White House aides and announced plans to subpoena Biden’s doctor.
In response to the allegations, Biden firmly rejected the notion that he did not personally dictate his executive actions. “Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency,” he stated, emphasizing his authority over pardons, executive orders, and legislation.
His assertion stands in stark contrast to the claims being made by Trump’s camp and some congressional Republicans.
The debate has been fueled further by a new book from CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson, which critiques Biden’s mental and physical health during his presidency.
The book, alongside audio of former special counsel Robert Hur’s interviews with Biden, has raised additional questions about the authenticity of Biden’s leadership.
As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen how this will impact public perception of Biden’s presidency and the broader implications for executive authority in the United States.
The controversy illustrates the ongoing political tensions as both sides navigate issues of health, transparency, and governance in a polarized political landscape.
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