Trump declares most Biden orders void, citing use of autopen signatures

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By Mica Soellner

 

President Donald Trump said he is terminating every document former President Joe Biden signed with an autopen in his latest move to eradicate his predecessor’s legacy. 

In a Truth Social post Friday, Trump accused Biden of signing “approximately 92%" of documents through the use of an autopen. The president threatened perjury charges against Biden if he claims he consented to the use of the mechanical pen to sign papers.

 

“The Autopen is not allowed to be used if approval is not specifically given by the President of the United States,” Trump said in his post.

 

Trump alleged Biden’s staff used the autopen illegally and that the former president wasn’t in control of his own presidency when the tool was being used.

 

It isn’t clear what legal pushback Trump could receive from trying to nix Biden’s past orders or how federal agencies that have been impacted by the former president’s policies will respond.

 

Trump has ramped up his attacks on Biden’s use of the autopen since he took office in January. House Republicans also unveiled a report earlier this year regarding Biden’s use of the autopen, saying it showed he wasn’t mentally fit to be president.

 

This week, Trump joked a pair of Thanksgiving turkeys pardoned by Biden were “null and void” because of his use of an autopen. The president also replaced Biden’s portrait in the White House’s presidential “Walk of Fame” with a photo of an autopen signing a document.

 

Autopens have been used in multiple presidencies, and their use can be traced back to the 1940s during Harry Truman’s administration.