President Trump dropped a bombshell on the New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast, alleging Biden aides exploited a White House autopen to sign orders behind the president’s back. The claim, aired Monday, paints a picture of a presidency hijacked by unelected staffers. It’s a serious charge that demands scrutiny.
Trump told host Miranda Devine that Biden aides used the autopen to enact 162 executive actions and 4,245 clemency grants without Biden’s full awareness, taking advantage of his cognitive decline. The Justice Department and House Republicans are now investigating these allegations, probing potential misuse of authority and a cover-up of Biden’s mental state. The autopen, a device used for signing documents, has been a White House tool since the Truman era.
When Biden took office on Jan. 20, 2021, he issued orders ending Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy, reviving Obama’s DACA program, and stopping the U.S.-Mexico border wall. Trump insists these moves, among others, were driven by “radical left lunatics” who saw Biden’s weakness as their chance to rule. “They could do anything they wanted, because the autopen was the power,” Trump said.
Trump’s accusation hinges on the autopen’s role in Biden’s presidency. An Oversight Project analysis found nearly all of Biden’s official signatures, except his 2024 campaign withdrawal, bore the autopen’s uniform mark. That’s a red flag when a president’s pen is supposed to reflect personal judgment.
Biden’s pardon for his son Hunter, issued Dec. 1, 2024, stands out with a slanted, lighter signature—likely handwritten. It cleared Hunter of a firearm felony and tax evasion charges spanning 2014 to 2024. However, other family pardons on January 19, 2025, for James, Sara, Frank, and Valerie Biden Owens displayed bolder, identical signatures, hinting at the use of an autopen.
“You see, it’s the same,” Trump said, noting the autopen’s telltale consistency. He argues aides abused this tool to push through 1,500 sentence commutations on Dec. 12, 2024, and even clemency for 37 federal death row inmates. These signatures raise questions about who was really in charge.
The Justice Department, under pardon attorney Ed Martin, launched a probe last week to determine if Biden was competent to authorize these orders. A June 4, 2025, memo from Trump to Attorney General Pam Bondi accused aides of hiding Biden’s decline to wield Article II powers. That’s not just a power grab—it’s a betrayal of public trust.
House Republicans, led by Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, are also digging into claims of a White House cover-up. They’re asking whether aides deliberately obscured Biden’s mental state to keep the autopen humming. The stakes are high when unelected staffers might be steering the ship.
White House sources admit at least one aide is suspected of overstepping authority with the autopen. “They surrounded the beautiful Resolute Desk,” Trump said, evoking a scene of aides orchestrating a quiet coup. It’s a vivid image, but the truth lies in the evidence.
Biden pushed back, insisting he approved all pardons, orders, and proclamations. “Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false,” he stated after the investigation began. Yet, the uniform signatures and Trump’s allegations cast doubt on his claim.
Trump’s own White House, per a Jan. 28, 2025, memo, restricts autopen use to two aides—Will Scharf and Susie Wiles. This move signals a commitment to transparency, contrasting with the Biden team’s alleged free-for-all. Governance should never be on autopilot.
“They are criminals, and what they did to our country should never be forgotten,” Trump declared. His words resonate with those who value accountability, but they also risk inflaming tensions. The investigations must sort fact from rhetoric.
The autopen controversy isn’t just about signatures—it’s about who holds power. Trump’s claim that aides exploited Biden’s condition to enact their agenda challenges the integrity of democratic leadership. If true, it’s a scandal that demands justice.
For conservatives, this saga underscores the dangers of unchecked bureaucracy. “They didn’t want [Biden]. They wanted Bernie Sanders,” Trump quipped, suggesting a progressive hijacking of the White House. It’s a witty jab, but the real issue is accountability, not ideology.
As investigations unfold, the nation watches closely. The autopen, once a clerical tool, now symbolizes a deeper question: Who was running the show? The answer will shape how we view Biden’s legacy—and trust in government itself.
