Former US President Donald Trump found himself once more taking aim at Joe Biden, his presidential successor, on the subject of his supposed autopen usage for official document signatures. Trump presented the matter with his signature ‘big scandal’ descriptor, comparing it with notable events such as the alleged Russia interference and the 2020 presidential elections. Trump’s scrutiny extended to the credibility of various procedures, including presidential pardons he suggested might have been effectuated without Biden’s direct consent. He stated, ‘Although the Biden Autopen Scandal is not as large as the supposed Russia hoax or the contested 2020 election, it’s nevertheless significant.’
Emphasizing his concern over Biden’s apparent preference for autopen signatures, Trump particularly criticized the proliferation of this technique during Biden’s twilight presidency days. There was a notable rise in the issuance of autopen-signed presidential pardons during this period. Trump cast doubts upon the authenticity of actions tied to the autopen, suggesting that ‘our President’ was in fact, the operator behind it and such conduct was impermissible.
In the middle of the year, Trump prompted his administration to delve into this controversial issue of Biden’s autopen usage for signing pardons and other official documents. This wasn’t just a means to challenge his predecessor, but also an attempt to amplify the pressure on him. This pressure manifested in the demands from House Republicans to interview pertinences of Biden’s close-knit circle.
The commonly referred to ‘Biden Autopen Scandal’ attributes its origins to allegations made chiefly by Donald Trump and his supporters. Their allegations assert that during Biden’s presidency, his signature on the official documents was often retraced by an autopen rather than personally handwritten. The crux of the contention lies in Biden’s alleged overreliance on the machine, which they suggest is attributable to his deteriorating cognitive abilities or incapacity to govern.
These allegations went a step further, insinuating that Biden’s staff wielded the authority to sign documents with his autopen, indicative of their predominant role in the administration. These doubts were substantiated with the speculations about his age and capability to govern effectively, that gained traction in 2024 following a suboptimal debate performance with then-president Trump.
In the aftermath of the debate, Biden voluntarily withdrew from the presidential race under the weight of burgeoning pressures from his very own Democratic party. Consequently, Trump took on then-Vice President Kamala Harris instead, successfully defeating her in the general elections.
In May of the same year, Biden’s health came into the limelight following his diagnosis of an aggressive form of prostate cancer. This triggered a subsequent avalanche of queries regarding his physical well-being during his tenure in the White House. Again, fuel was added to these proverbial fires by a book purporting that Biden’s health had been in a long-term decline, predating even the debate incident.
Interestingly, it must be pointed out that the utilization of autopens by US presidents is neither a new nor an unlawful practice. This machine-aided method of signing documents has been adopted by presidents across the political spectrum throughout the annals of US political history.
Indeed, autopen signatures date back many decades and have been consistently used by presidents of both affiliations, Republican and Democrat alike. This includes some of the most high-profile names in American politics, such as Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. However, it is ironic that Trump himself utilized the autopen during his presidency while he continues to criticize the same practice employed by his successor.
The post The Biden Autopen Scandal: A Mask for Presidential Incompetence? appeared first on Real News Now.
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