White House probes Biden’s autopen usage in extensive investigation of past presidency

Imagine a machine wielding the power of a president’s signature, deciding the fate of thousands—welcome to the latest White House investigation into former President Joe Biden’s reliance on the autopen. This isn’t just about ink on paper; it’s about who truly held the reins of power during his tenure. The implications are as staggering as they are unsettling.

Fox News reported that the current administration is diving deep into Biden’s use of an autopen for signing documents, including controversial pardons, aiming to uncover the extent of control unelected staffers may have exerted over presidential decisions while questioning the former president’s health and capacity.

Let’s start at the heart of this probe: the White House Counsel’s Office, in tandem with the Justice Department, is sifting through tens of thousands of records from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

Over 27,000 documents have already been handed over, with expectations to review up to a million. It’s a monumental task, described by officials as a “massive effort” to get answers fast.

Uncovering the Autopen’s Role in Biden’s Decisions

What exactly are they looking for? The investigation zeros in on communications and records spanning years of Biden’s presidency, specifically targeting how often and under what policies the autopen—a device that mimics a signature with eerie precision—was used. Was there a safeguard, or was this machine a free-for-all for staffers?

Biden’s autopen didn’t just sign memos; it inked significant actions like final pardons, including preemptive ones for family members, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley, and staff tied to the January 6 Capitol riot committee.

Notably, the one pardon he signed by hand was for his son Hunter, despite months of public denials. That’s a curious exception, raising eyebrows about personal versus mechanical decisions.

In his last weeks in office, Biden granted clemency to over 1,500 individuals, touted at the time as the largest single-day act of mercy by any U.S. president. Was this historic move his call, or did a machine and unnamed aides steer the ship? The question lingers like a bad aftertaste.

“I made every decision on my own,” Biden insisted in a recent chat with the New York Times. Nice try, but when a machine signs your name to life-altering pardons, that claim feels flimsier than a house of cards in a windstorm. The American people deserve clarity on who—or what—was calling the shots.

“Was the autopen inappropriately used?” an official pointedly asked. It’s not just about mechanics; it’s whether Biden ceded his constitutional powers to staffers who never faced a ballot. That’s not a technicality—it’s a betrayal of trust if proven true.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt didn’t mince words, stating Biden was perhaps the most “incompetent” leader in memory, alleging unelected “leftist staffers” wielded outsized influence via this device.

While the rhetoric stings, the concern isn’t baseless when you consider the sheer volume of automated signatures. It’s a fair question for a nation that votes for a person, not a proxy.

Contrasting Leadership Styles Under Scrutiny

Contrast this with the current approach: President Donald Trump avoids the autopen for official business, reserving it for informal notes or birthday greetings. Every executive order under his watch has been signed publicly, pen in hand, for all to see. It’s a deliberate signal of transparency that casts Biden’s methods in a harsher light.

Trump’s administration isn’t just watching from the sidelines; back in June, he directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to probe whether Biden’s autopen reliance was tied to a mental decline. That’s not a casual accusation—it’s a directive to unearth if capability, not just convenience, drove this practice. The stakes couldn’t be higher.

Congressional committees, like the House Oversight Committee, are also digging into Biden’s health and autopen usage, running parallel to the White House’s efforts.

Though separate, these investigations share a common thread: ensuring the presidency isn’t reduced to a rubber stamp—or worse, a robotic one. It’s a bipartisan concern, even if the motivations differ.

“The president’s signature is one of the most important in the world,” an official emphasized. If that signature comes from a machine without clear oversight, what does that say about accountability? It’s a chilling thought for anyone who values democratic principles over bureaucratic shortcuts.

The White House is adamant this isn’t a witch hunt but a quest for truth, with officials stressing it’s been a priority from day one. “Lawyers are working diligently to get answers,” one noted, underscoring the urgency to inform the public about potential media cover-ups on Biden’s well-being. Transparency isn’t just a buzzword here—it’s the goal.