Concerns over whether President Joe Biden personally approved key decisions in his administration have intensified after reports surfaced that a White House aide may have used an autopen without oversight. Former staffers have revealed that one official frequently invoked Biden’s name to justify actions, but colleagues were unsure whether the president had actually reviewed the documents.
According to sources, this aide had significant influence in the administration and rarely faced questions about their decisions. Other staffers reportedly suspected the individual of overstepping their authority but did not challenge them directly. One former official described the situation as one where “everyone was suspicious, but no one spoke up.”
Who were the three staffers who had access to Biden's autopen? @gabbycuccia names names on @RealLindellTV.
Spoiler alert: one also had been a Susan Rice staffer. pic.twitter.com/0Rf71lEScC
— The Absolute Truth with @EmeraldRobinson (@AbsoluteWithE) March 11, 2025
The use of the autopen has drawn additional scrutiny after six identical signatures appeared on pardons issued on December 30, 2024, while Biden was vacationing in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Critics argue that this raises serious questions about who was actually making decisions in Biden’s final days in office.
Former Biden aide claims top staffer abused autopen as president's cognitive abilities deteriorated https://t.co/XHhzUSk9sJ key staffer was suspected of unilaterally making decisions to sign documents as former President Joe Biden's cognitive abilities decreased.
— greg beanan (@gregbeanan) March 15, 2025
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has called for a Department of Justice investigation into whether Biden’s executive orders and pardons were issued without his full knowledge. In a letter to the DOJ’s inspector general, Bailey suggested that if staffers signed documents without Biden’s direct approval, those orders could be unconstitutional and legally invalid.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has implemented strict rules on the use of the autopen. A recently released memo from the White House staff secretary confirms that Trump personally signs executive orders, major policy decisions, and pardons. The autopen is reserved for routine matters only, ensuring that all high-level decisions reflect Trump’s direct input.
The autopen has been in use since the 1960s, primarily for ceremonial documents, but its role in the Biden administration has fueled new concerns over accountability in presidential decision-making.
The Justice Department has not yet indicated whether it will investigate these claims.
