Former President Donald Trump attacked his predecessor, Joe Biden, on Truth Social, vowing to nullify every document Biden signed using an autopen, warning that any denial from Biden could lead to perjury charges. Trump claimed that approximately 92 percent of Biden’s documents were signed mechanically and argued that staff operated the autopen illegally without the president’s involvement. Republicans, including House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, have cited Biden’s use of the device as evidence of alleged cognitive decline, particularly in approving pardons. Biden and his former aides have rejected these claims, asserting he personally oversaw every decision.
The autopen has a long history in U.S. presidencies, dating back to Thomas Jefferson in 1803. Subsequent presidents, including Gerald Ford, Lyndon B. Johnson, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Biden, have used it legally. A 2005 Justice Department memo confirmed that a president may authorize a signature to be affixed mechanically, and scholars note the Constitution does not require personal signing of pardons. Trump, who has used the autopen only for minor documents, criticized Biden for signing major orders and pardons without direct involvement.
Separately, Trump announced plans to temporarily halt immigration from third-world countries following attacks on National Guard troops in Washington, D.C. He proposed reversing millions of Biden-era admissions, ending federal benefits for noncitizens, denaturalizing migrants deemed harmful, and deporting those considered security risks or incompatible with U.S. society.