President Donald Trump declared on Friday that he will invalidate all executive orders and legal documents signed by President Joe Biden with an autopen, a mechanical instrument that reproduces signatures.
Eko Hot News reports that Trump announced his social media platform, Truth Social, declaring that “any document signed” by Biden via the autopen “is hereby terminated, and of no further force or effect.” He added that any orders not directly signed by Biden were invalid because, according to him, the operators of the autopen acted illegally. Trump also warned that if Biden claims he was involved in the autopen process, he could face perjury charges.
Biden signed 162 executive orders during his presidency, according to the American Presidency Project, though it is unclear how many involved the use of an autopen. It is common practice for incoming presidents to revoke some or all of their predecessor’s directives. Trump has already rescinded nearly 70 of Biden’s orders shortly after being sworn in for his second term on January 20, and an additional 19 on March 14, according to White House records.
Trump has previously launched an investigation into the Biden administration’s use of the autopen, alleging a “conspiracy” to misuse presidential signatures and conceal Biden’s cognitive abilities.
In response, Biden dismissed the claims, calling them “nothing more than a distraction.” He emphasised that all presidential decisions, including pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations, were made personally by him, describing any suggestion otherwise as “ridiculous and false.”
House Republicans released a report last month critical of the autopen, but it provided no concrete evidence that Biden’s aides signed documents without his knowledge. Historically, presidents have legally used autopens; the 2005 Justice Department under President George W. Bush confirmed that autopen use for signing bills into law is permitted.
Trump himself acknowledged using an autopen for minor, low-priority documents but stated that it was only for “very unimportant papers.”
