Trump calls for investigation into Biden aides’ use of autopen amid cognitive decline
President Donald Trump has called for an investigation led by Attorney General Pam Bondi into whether certain individuals working for former President Joe Biden conspired to deceive the public about his mental state while also using an autopen to carry out his presidential responsibilities.
In a recent memo, Trump expressed concerns about the abuse of power through the use of an autopen by Biden’s aides to conceal his cognitive decline and assert executive authority. He highlighted the significance of a president’s signature, which has the power to turn words into laws, appoint individuals to key positions in government, shape national policies, and grant pardons.
Trump alleged that Biden’s cognitive decline had been evident for years, and the Department of Justice recently determined that he should not stand trial due to his mental state. The former president accused Biden’s advisors of restricting his public appearances and scripting his interactions to hide his incapacity to discharge his duties.
During Biden’s presidency, over 1,200 Presidential documents were issued, 235 judges were appointed to the federal bench, and a record number of pardons and commutations were granted. Trump specifically criticized Biden’s decision to commute the sentences of 37 dangerous criminals on federal death row just before Christmas in 2024.
The memo raised questions about the decision-making process behind Biden’s executive actions and the use of an autopen to sign documents on behalf of the president. Trump suggested that if Biden’s advisors used the autopen to conceal his incapacity while carrying out radical executive actions, it could constitute an unconstitutional wielding of presidential power.
The investigation called for by Trump aims to determine if individuals conspired to deceive the public about Biden’s mental state and unconstitutionally exercised the president’s authority. It will look into efforts to shield information about Biden’s health, deem videos of his cognitive ability as fake, and require false statements about his capabilities. The probe will also examine which policy documents were signed using the autopen and who directed Biden’s signature to be affixed to those documents.
Trump’s remarks last week suggested that Biden may not have fully endorsed certain policies, including lax border security measures, and that his declining faculties may have been exploited by those around him using the autopen to pass directives. House Republicans, led by Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, have launched their own investigation into Biden’s mental fitness and the use of the autopen.
The call for an investigation into Biden’s cognitive decline and the use of the autopen underscores the ongoing scrutiny surrounding the former president’s health and decision-making process during his time in office.
