Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Trump Says He Is Voiding Biden Orders He Claims Were Signed by Autopen

Legal experts question the move, citing Justice Department guidance that a handwritten signature is not required.

Overview

  • Trump announced on Truth Social that he is rescinding all Biden measures he says were not signed personally, asserting that autopen use invalidates them.
  • He claimed roughly 92% of Biden-era documents bore an autopen signature and warned that Biden could face perjury if he says he authorized the process.
  • A 2005 Office of Legal Counsel opinion concluded a president need not physically sign for actions to take effect, and prior presidents have used signature devices.
  • Analysts note a president can replace a predecessor’s executive orders but cannot unilaterally undo statutes or likely valid pardons on the basis of signature method.
  • Biden’s office had not issued a response in initial reporting, and the legal impact of Trump’s declaration remains uncertain pending any formal actions or court challenges.