President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his claims that former President Joe Biden did not have a clear understanding of ‘what was going on’ during his presidency, a statement he made while responding to Biden’s dismissal of an investigation into the use of an autopen. During a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump reiterated his belief that Biden had been unaware of pivotal developments in policy and executive decisions. This claim comes as part of a broader controversy surrounding the Biden administration’s use of the autopen, a device used to replicate presidential signatures, which Trump alleges was used to obscure Biden’s alleged cognitive decline and assert executive authority.
Trump, who has repeatedly criticized the administration’s use of the autopen, has accused Biden’s aides of orchestrating a conspiracy to conceal the true wielder of executive power. He argues that the autopen, typically used for sending mass letters, was misused to sign key presidential actions, which he calls a violation of protocol and a threat to the integrity of the presidency. Biden, on the other hand, has dismissed Trump’s allegations as baseless and a partisan attempt to undermine his presidency. In a statement, he called the accusations ‘ridiculous’ and a distraction from more pressing issues like healthcare policy and tax reform.
Trump’s comments have intensified recent debates about the legitimacy of Biden’s executive actions, particularly in light of earlier reports from the Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project. These findings suggested that the same autopen signature appeared on multiple official documents, raising questions about the extent of Biden’s involvement in these decisions. Trump has seized on these reports to assert that the administration has been using the device to mask the president’s declining cognitive abilities, all while implementing major policy changes. Biden, however, has accused Trump of using the controversy to divert attention from broader political disputes, including efforts to cut essential services and provide tax breaks to the wealthy.
Biden’s response to the autopen allegations has been swift and sharp, with the former president labeling Trump’s claims as a smear campaign designed to damage his legacy. He has also emphasized that the decisions made during his presidency remain valid and that the focus should be on the administration’s policy achievements rather than its signing practices. Trump, meanwhile, continues to frame the issue as a matter of executive accountability, asserting that the misuse of an autopen represents a significant breach of public trust.