Trump orders probe into Biden’s use of autopen to sign official documents

UA President Donald Trump has ordered an investigation into his predecessor Joe Biden's use of an autopen to sign official documents, including policy decisions and presidential pardons. Trump argues that Biden's aides may have misused the device to conceal the former president's cognitive decline.

What is an autopen?

An autopen is a device that copies human signature. Although previous presidents used it, Trump contends that Biden's use might have been a component of a wider "conspiracy" that hid from the public who truly was in charge of the White House.

Trump wrote in a memo, “This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history.” He asked White House Counsel David Warrington and Attorney General Pam Bondi to direct the investigation.

Also read: US to double tariffs on steel, aluminium to 50 pc from June 4

Biden team questioned

The inquiry connects with an investigation by House Republicans, led by James Comer, chairman of the Oversight Committee, into Biden's last months in office. Comer claims that five of Biden's former top aides were involved in a "cover-up" and has asked for interviews with them.

Among these aides are counsellor Steve Ricchetti, former Chief of Staff Ron Klain, Deputy Chief Bruce Reed, senior advisers Mike Donilon and Anita Dunn, and others. Comer also invited former aides Annie Tomasini and Neera Tanden to testify, as well as Biden's former doctor, Dr Kevin O'Connor. If they refuse to participate in voluntary interviews, he warned, subpoenas will be issued.

Also read: Musk calls Trump’s big tax break bill a ‘disgusting abomination’; Republicans react

Original Sin

Comer referred to the book Original Sin, by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, which claims that a group of senior advisors controlled key decisions during Biden’s presidency. “Five people were running the country, and Joe Biden was at best a senior member of the board,” claims the book. Biden’s family has strongly denied those claims.

Biden withdrew from the race after a poor debate performance against Trump the year before, in which he seemed puzzled and found it difficult to finish his sentences. He was replaced as Democratic nominee by Kamala Harris, but Trump ultimately won the election.

Also read: Expect US-India trade deal in not-too-distant future: US commerce secy

Investigation ongoing

Republicans claim that if Biden was not fully involved, the use of the autopen in Biden's final executive orders, which include new regulations and pardons, may make them legally questionable.

“The American people didn't elect a bureaucracy to run the country,” said Rep. Brandon Gill, a freshman Republican from Texas. “I think that the American people deserve to know the truth and they want to know the truth of what happened.”

The Republican inquiry so far has focused on the final executive actions of Biden’s administration, which included the issuing of new federal rules and presidential pardons that they claim may be invalid. The investigation's conclusions are expected to be released by the Trump administration in the upcoming weeks.

(With inputs from agencies)