Overview
- In a Truth Social post, the president said any Biden-era document he claims was signed by autopen is “hereby terminated,” asserting without evidence that roughly 92% were affected.
- He warned Joe Biden could face perjury if he says he authorized autopen use, though Biden has not given sworn testimony on the topic and has publicly said he made the decisions during his presidency.
- A 2005 Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel opinion and decades of practice recognize autopen use when directed by the president, and past presidents, including Barack Obama and Donald Trump, have used the device.
- Legal analysts say a president can revoke a predecessor’s executive orders regardless of signing method, but question any attempt to void other actions such as pardons or statutes based solely on autopen use.
- House Republicans recently urged the Justice Department to investigate Biden-era autopen practices, while reporters note there is no public record verifying Trump’s 92% figure.