The White House has confirmed that President Donald Trump did not use an autopen to sign legally binding documents during his time in office, despite Trump accusing President Joe Biden of using such a device to sign documents. Trump claimed that autopens are acceptable for correspondence, but not for signing documents such as pardons, calling it disgraceful. Trump also questioned the validity of Biden’s use of an autopen for executive orders and pardons, suggesting that the courts should determine if they are void.
An autopen is a device programmed to replicate a person’s signature and was determined by the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel in 2005 to be permitted for signing bills into law. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit also ruled that the absence of a written signature does not mean a commutation did not occur. Trump raised concerns about Biden’s use of an autopen to sign pardons for lawmakers who served on the House Select Committee investigating the Capitol riot, claiming they were void and that Biden was not knowledgeable about their signing.
The Oversight Project conducted an analysis of Biden’s documents and found that a majority of documents signed during his administration used an autopen, raising concerns about who controlled the device and if Biden personally authorized each official act. Biden signed pardons for individuals including Gen. Mark Milley and those involved in the Jan. 6 Select Committee investigation on his inauguration day. Trump, who had been indicted for attempting to overturn the 2020 election results that led to the Capitol attack, had the case dropped by special counsel Jack Smith after winning the presidential election.
The issue of autopens and the validity of documents signed with them has sparked controversy between Trump and Biden, with Trump claiming that Biden’s use of an autopen for executive orders and pardons is unacceptable. Trump’s accusations against Biden’s use of autopens led to questions about the legality of these signed documents, with concerns raised about who was controlling the device and if Biden was fully aware of the actions being carried out with it. Biden’s use of autopens to sign a majority of his official documents has raised further questions about the transparency and legitimacy of his administration’s actions.
While the White House maintains that Trump did not use an autopen for legally binding documents during his time in office, Trump’s criticism of Biden’s use of the device has brought attention to the issue and raised concerns about the authenticity of documents signed with autopens. The debate over the use of autopens for signing official documents highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in government actions, as well as the need for clear guidelines on the use of automated signature devices in order to maintain the integrity of legal documents and uphold the public trust in political leadership.
