Overview

• Trump’s memo tasks the White House counsel and Attorney General Pam Bondi with probing claims that Biden aides used the autopen to sign official documents without his authorization
• Senate Democrats including Jack Reed and Richard Blumenthal dismiss the inquiry as a frivolous political stunt aimed at diverting attention from economic issues like rising tariffs
• The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel ruled under George W. Bush that autopen signatures are constitutionally valid once the president approves their use
• Republicans argue that any autopen-signed documents could be invalidated if Biden did not explicitly authorize each signature, raising questions about pardons issued to allies
• Senator Chris Coons says he has seen no evidence of improper autopen use or diminished presidential capacity during Biden’s term