(LibertySociety.com) – President Trump plans to investigate Biden’s use of an autopen for official documents, raising questions about who truly governed during the previous administration.
At a Glance
- Trump has announced plans to investigate Biden’s use of the autopen for signing legislation and pardons
- Trump claimed some Biden pardons are “void” because they were allegedly signed with an autopen
- Legal scholars confirm there is no constitutional mechanism to overturn pardons once granted
- House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer is supporting the investigation
- Autopens have been used by presidents since Thomas Jefferson to replicate handwritten signatures
Trump Questions Authenticity of Biden’s Signatures
Former President Donald Trump has raised serious concerns about the Biden administration’s use of an autopen, a mechanical device that replicates handwritten signatures, for official documents. Trump’s investigation aims to determine whether President Biden was fully aware of actions taken under his authority, suggesting some decisions may have been made without his direct involvement. The inquiry specifically targets immigration policies that Trump claims led to increased migration at the southern border and controversial pardons issued during Biden’s term.
Trump has been vocal about his suspicions regarding who was truly in charge during the Biden presidency. In public statements, Trump has alleged that unnamed aides, whom he characterized as “radical left lunatics” who preferred Bernie Sanders, may have been making decisions without proper authorization from Biden himself. This investigation represents a significant challenge to the legitimacy of key Biden administration policies and decisions.
🚨 WATCH: Karoline Leavitt calls out CNN’s Kaitlan Collins questioning Trump’s query on whether Biden was aware his signature on pardons was being stamped by autopen:
“Is there any evidence that he wasn’t aware of it?”
“You’re a reporter. You should find out.” pic.twitter.com/PBYI7mCLVA
— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) March 17, 2025
Legal Standing of Presidential Signatures
Trump’s claims about the invalidity of Biden’s autopen-signed documents face significant legal hurdles. The Constitution does not specify that presidential signatures must be handwritten, and historical precedent supports various signing methods. A 2005 Justice Department memo explicitly supports the use of autopens for signing bills, suggesting it is legally acceptable. Additionally, a 1929 Office of the Solicitor General memo stated that a presidential pardon does not require the president’s personal autograph to be valid.
“The ‘Pardons’ that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen” – Donald Trump.
Despite Trump’s declaration, legal scholars universally agree there is no constitutional mechanism to overturn pardons once granted. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled in 2024 that presidential clemency power is not restricted to documented writings. The National Archives has confirmed that official documents routinely use a copy of the president’s signature provided by the White House, a practice that has been in place across multiple administrations.
Legal experts say there is nothing to President Donald Trump’s claims that several of former President Joe Biden’s pardons are “VOID” because they were signed via autopen.#DonaldTrump #JoeBiden #autopen #factcheck pic.twitter.com/LMMTrzKw4E
— FactCheck.org (@factcheckdotorg) March 21, 2025
Congressional Investigation Underway
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has announced his intention to investigate Biden’s use of the autopen, calling it “one of the greatest scandals of our generation.” Comer plans to interview former Biden aides about the extent of the autopen’s use and whether it indicates problems with Biden’s decision-making capacity. The investigation has gained support from the Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project, which initially backed Trump’s claims about the autopen.
“This is one of the greatest scandals of our generation, and Americans are demanding answers” – James Comer.
Historical context is important for understanding this controversy. Autopens and similar mechanical signing devices have been used by numerous presidents, including Barack Obama, John F. Kennedy, and even Thomas Jefferson. The practice is not new in American governance, though Trump has suggested Biden’s use was unprecedented in scope. Despite Trump’s assertions, PolitiFact has rated his statements about void pardons as false, citing the lack of legal precedent for invalidating pardons based on the signing method.
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