President Donald Trump has announced that he intends to invalidate executive orders issued under his predecessor, Joe Biden, claiming that most were signed using an autopen, a mechanical signature device.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Friday, Trump alleged that 92 percent of Biden’s orders were illegitimate and vowed to cancel them.
“Any document signed by Sleepy Joe Biden with the Autopen, which was approximately 92% of them, is hereby terminated, and of no further force or effect,” Trump wrote.
He also suggested that Biden could face perjury charges if he denied the claims, asserting that the autopen was operated without the former president’s involvement.
The autopen has a long history in the White House, dating back to Thomas Jefferson, and has been used by multiple presidents, including Trump himself.
However, Trump has repeatedly criticized Biden, particularly for his age and use of the device during his presidency. The president has previously mocked Biden’s alleged reliance on the autopen, even replacing his portrait with a photo of the device in a “presidential walk of fame” near the White House.
Biden, who served as president until January 2025, has consistently denied Trump’s allegations. In a June statement, he said, “Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false.”
Legal experts widely dismiss Trump’s claims as unfounded. U.S. law does not require a president to personally affix signatures to executive orders, bills, or pardons.
A 2005 memo from the Office of Legal Counsel clarified that using an autopen or delegating the signature to a subordinate does not invalidate official documents.
This latest statement follows a pattern of Trump attempting to challenge the legitimacy of actions taken by Democratic predecessors.
In March, he sought to void Biden’s controversial “preemptive” pardons, citing similar autopen concerns.
Biden’s age and health, including his recent disclosure of advanced prostate cancer and ongoing radiation treatment, have drawn public attention, though there is no evidence that autopen use compromised his presidential authority.
Trump, who will turn 82 during a potential second term, has also faced scrutiny over age-related fitness while in office.
The dispute highlights ongoing political tensions and the continued use of social media by Trump to cast doubt on the legitimacy of Democratic policies.
Source: Al Jazeera
Written By Rodney Mbua
