Biden Defends His Authority Amid GOP Autopen Probe: ‘I Made the Decisions’

As Republican-led investigations intensify over the use of an autopen during his presidency, former President Joe Biden is pushing back—hard.

In a statement released Wednesday, Biden firmly dismissed claims that he wasn’t in control of key decisions during his time in office, calling the accusations “ridiculous and false.”

“I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations,” Biden said. “Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false.”

The controversy stems from an ongoing investigation ordered by former President Donald Trump and now being pursued by House Republicans. At the heart of it: whether Biden’s aides used an autopen—a device that replicates a person’s signature—to sign major documents without his direct input, possibly masking cognitive decline and unlawfully executing presidential powers.

Trump has characterized the situation as a full-blown scandal. In a memo released Wednesday, he called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Biden officials, claiming the use of the autopen was part of a broader effort to hide the former president’s alleged health issues from the public.

“This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history,” Trump wrote. “The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded executive power, all while Biden’s signature was deployed across thousands of documents.”

Trump also emphasized the symbolic and legal weight of a president’s signature—used to pass laws, appoint officials, enact executive actions, and issue pardons.

Republican Lawmakers Take Aim

The Republican-led House Oversight Committee, chaired by Rep. James Comer, began investigating the issue last month. The committee is reportedly seeking to determine whether Biden was mentally fit to authorize the use of an autopen during the latter part of his presidency.

Comer didn’t rule out compelling Biden to testify, saying last week that he was “open” to bringing the former president before the House to answer questions if necessary.

Biden Fires Back

In his statement, Biden didn’t mince words, framing the probe as a political distraction.

“This is nothing more than a distraction by Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans,” Biden said, accusing them of attempting to divert attention from efforts to “push disastrous legislation that would cut essential programs like Medicaid and raise costs on American families… all to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and big corporations.”

What’s at Stake

At issue is more than just the use of a mechanical pen. Republicans argue that if Biden’s aides signed off on major decisions without his full awareness or approval, it could raise constitutional questions about the legitimacy of key policies and appointments made under his name.

Democrats, meanwhile, see the investigation as politically motivated and lacking substance—another chapter in the long-running feud between Trump and Biden, and one that could set the tone for a contentious election cycle.