Biden’s executive orders were voided in a new statement from President Donald Trump, who says he is cancelling directives from Joe Biden’s presidency that were signed using an autopen. The announcement has intensified an ongoing dispute over whether Biden personally approved actions issued during his time in office. Trump’s move has raised fresh legal and political questions, especially as past Justice Department guidance has allowed presidents to use the autopen when authorising documents.
Trump Claims Biden Autopen Use Invalidates Past Actions
President Trump said in a Truth Social post that documents signed with an autopen during Biden’s administration were “terminated.” He asserted that around 92 per cent of actions issued under Biden fell into this category. Trump did not explain how this figure was calculated, though he insisted the device was used without Biden’s direct involvement.
Joe Biden signs paperwork inside the Oval Office during his presidency
He also claimed the autopen could only be used when the president personally approved each signature. According to Trump, Biden’s staff members used the device without proper authority, which he said stripped those documents of legal force. He added that Biden could face perjury charges if he stated he had approved each directive.
The statement expanded a theme Trump has pushed for months, suggesting Biden was sidelined from key decisions. Biden has denied any lack of involvement, saying he made all decisions while in office and rejecting accusations of a “cover-up.”
Long-Standing Dispute Over Biden’s Role in Decision-Making
Trump has referred to Biden’s autopen use several times this year, suggesting it showed the former president was not directing his administration. He previously claimed the signatures made the directives “null and void.” His latest remarks repeat this argument while broadening it to all executive orders and related actions.
The comments arrive as part of a broader political strategy questioning Biden’s leadership capacity. Trump previously instructed federal officials to review autopen-signed documents and examine whether their preparation related to Biden’s mental state. No findings have been released to support these claims.
Biden has responded by saying he approved all presidential decisions and accused his critics of spreading false statements. The matter has become a recurring flashpoint in interviews, hearings, and public debate.
Legal Advice Contradicts Trump’s Position on Autopen Use
While Trump cancels Biden’s autopen orders under his own authority, legal guidance from past administrations offers a different view. The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, under George W. Bush in 2005, examined the legality of autopen signatures. It stated that a president did not need to physically sign a bill if he directed that his signature be affixed.
A 1929 memo from the US solicitor general also stated that the Constitution did not specify any particular form for issuing pardons. These findings have shaped common practice across Republican and Democratic administrations, including Trump’s own.
Legal scholars have noted that the presence of an autopen signature is not the deciding factor. Instead, the question rests on whether the president approved the decision before the signature was affixed.
Autopen Use Has Long Been Routine in the White House
Presidents have used autopens for decades when signing large volumes of documents or when travelling. Barack Obama became the first president to sign a bill using the device while overseas. Biden used it during travel periods or when urgent documents required prompt action.
Autopen technology has been used for decades to affix authorised presidential signatures.
There is no complete public record of how often Biden relied on the autopen. However, the practice is considered common due to the large number of documents a president must review and approve daily.
Trump also used the autopen during his own presidency. Past White House staff have said the device helps manage workloads and avoids delays in moving documents through federal systems.
Republican Push for Investigations Continues
Republican lawmakers and conservative groups have pushed for inquiries into whether Biden approved each autopen-signed directive. A recent congressional review said questions remained about Biden’s awareness of specific pardons and commutations issued during his presidency. The review did not present direct evidence that staff acted without his consent.
Congressional committees have examined questions surrounding autopen authorisation processes.
Democrats have dismissed the issue as an attempt to reshape political narratives about the previous administration. They have pointed to longstanding legal advice that allows autopen use with presidential approval.
Despite this, Trump revoked autopen signatures in his latest order, suggesting he intends to challenge the issue further. His comments indicate he may use this approach to revisit additional Biden-era directives.
Potential Court and Legislative Action Ahead
Trump’s statement could prompt legal challenges as agencies examine which orders remain active. Some policy changes have already been reversed through ordinary executive action. His latest position focuses on the manner in which documents were signed, rather than their content.
Legal analysts have noted that removing actions solely based on autopen use would require proving a lack of authorisation from Biden. That standard may be difficult to meet without records showing that decisions were made by staff without his approval.
The matter could move into the courts if individuals or organisations affected by cancelled orders file legal challenges. Congress may also pursue hearings or reviews as political interest in the issue continues.
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Final Thoughts
Biden’s executive orders became the central message in Trump’s new declaration, marking a renewed push to challenge documents signed during the previous administration. The focus on autopen signatures has re-emerged as a political and legal debate, with both sides standing firmly by their positions. As the issue develops, federal agencies, legal experts, and lawmakers are expected to assess how the cancellation affects existing policies and whether further action is required.
