Former President Joe Biden is pushing back after President Donald Trump claimed he didn’t personally sign key documents during his time in office, and instead used an autopen.
President Donald Trump recently accused Former President Joe Biden of allowing aides to use an autopen—a machine that replicates a signature—to sign executive orders and other important papers while he was president. He made the claim without offering any evidence.
Joe Biden participates in the first presidential debate of the 2024 presidential elections in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 27, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
In a statement to ABC News, Biden strongly denied the allegation. “Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false,” he said.
Biden also called Trump’s demand for an investigation into his mental fitness “nothing more than a mere distraction.”
The Justice Department has previously said that using an autopen is legal, as long as the president gives approval. Past presidents have used the device in specific situations, such as when traveling.
President Trump’s tone is a sharp shift from just weeks ago, when he publicly wished Biden well after news of his cancer diagnosis. At the time, Trump wrote, “Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
