President Donald Trump declared that any document former President Joe Biden signed using the autopen was “terminated” and void, arguing that the device had been abused during Biden’s administration. Trump claimed that roughly 92% of Biden’s documents were signed without Biden’s physical presence and accused Biden’s inner circle of misusing the process. Biden has firmly rejected these allegations, insisting he personally approved every pardon and decision. Despite the political dispute, the autopen has been used by U.S. presidents for over two centuries, dating back to Thomas Jefferson, and was confirmed as legal by the Justice Department in 2005. Presidents Ford, Johnson, George W. Bush, and Obama also used the device, with Obama becoming the first to sign legislation with it.
Trump argued he used the autopen only for minor documents such as routine correspondence and called Biden’s use of it for executive actions “disgraceful.” Republican lawmakers previously demanded an investigation into the Biden administration’s reliance on the device. The White House offered no detailed response, referring questions back to Trump’s public statements. Biden has called Republican accusations dishonest, maintaining that he was fully aware of every action taken during his presidency.
At the same time, Trump announced plans to halt immigration from “third-world countries” after the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. He pledged to permanently pause migration from such regions, reverse “millions of Biden-era illegal admissions,” cut federal benefits to noncitizens, denaturalize individuals who threaten public order, and deport anyone considered a security risk or incompatible with Western values.