Trump’s Repeated Calls Fuel the Fire (Image Credits: Media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com)
Washington, D.C. – The Justice Department quietly closed its investigation into former President Joe Biden’s use of an autopen device for official signatures, a matter President Donald Trump had pressed for scrutiny.[1]
Trump’s Repeated Calls Fuel the Fire
President Trump frequently asserted that Biden relied on the autopen – a mechanical signature replicator – without awareness of the documents’ contents, allegedly to conceal cognitive decline.[1] He labeled it one of the gravest scandals in U.S. history and, in June 2025, ordered a broad inquiry into Biden aides’ potential deception.[2]
House Oversight Committee Republicans amplified these concerns. In October 2025, Chairman James Comer released a report titled “The Biden Autopen Presidency: Decline, Delusion, and Deception in the White House.” The document accused aides of hiding Biden’s condition and executing unauthorized actions via autopen, including family pardons and those for Jan. 6 investigators.[3][4] Comer urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to review all Biden executive actions for validity.[4]
Biden rejected the narrative outright. “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,” he stated in June 2025.[1]
Probe Launches Under Trump Allies
Justice Department pardon attorney Ed Martin, previously Trump’s “weaponization” czar, initiated the review as interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.[1] The effort later fell to Jeanine Pirro, a staunch Trump supporter and ex-Fox News host serving as the current U.S. attorney there.
Investigators examined whether Biden’s autopen signatures on pardons, executive orders, and other documents violated laws. Unlike other cases in Pirro’s office, this one never reached a grand jury.[1] Pirro’s office invoked policy and declined to confirm or deny active probes.
Legal Barriers Halt Progress
A person familiar with the matter explained the closure: prosecutors struggled to identify a suitable criminal statute.[1] Without clear legal grounding, charges proved unfeasible.
The White House directed questions to the Justice Department, which offered no further comment. This outcome mirrored other Trump-directed probes, such as efforts against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, where courts dismissed cases.[1]
Autopens: A Longstanding Presidential Tool
Autopens trace back centuries but gained modern use for high-volume signing. A 2005 Justice Department memo affirmed their legitimacy for bills, stating the president could direct subordinates to apply the signature.[2]
Several presidents employed them:
- Barack Obama signed dozens of 2016 pardons via autopen while in Hawaii.[2]
- George W. Bush sought the 2005 legal opinion but avoided it for official acts.
- Trump acknowledged using autopens for letters but insisted against for key matters; his pardons once featured identical signatures later replaced by DOJ.[2]
- Biden applied it at least once, for a 2024 aviation funding bill during travel.
No official logs track presidential autopen usage, complicating verification.[2]
Lasting Questions in Washington
Trump revoked about 80 Biden executive orders early in his term, citing autopen issues, though pardons remain harder to nullify constitutionally.[2] Comer declared autopen-signed actions “null and void,” demanding accountability for aides like Dr. Kevin O’Connor.[3]
Key Takeaways
- DOJ shelved the probe due to no identifiable criminal statute.[1]
- Autopens carry historical precedent across administrations.
- Political battles over Biden’s tenure persist despite legal closure.
The episode underscores tensions between political rhetoric and prosecutorial limits. As the dust settles, it highlights enduring debates on presidential authority. What do you think about the role of autopens in governance? Tell us in the comments.
