Trump Reacts to Biden's Dismissal of Autopen Probe: Claims He Didn't Know 'What Was Going On'

President Donald Trump intensified criticism of former President Joe Biden on Thursday, questioning Biden's awareness during his time in office and sharply denouncing the alleged use of an autopen to sign major presidential actions. In remarks made from the Oval Office during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump stated, "He was never for open borders. He was never for transgender for everybody. He was never for men playing in women's sports... I don't think he had any idea… I said it during the debate and I say it now, he didn't have much of an idea what was going on."

Trump further argued that the controversial use of the autopen—a machine capable of replicating a person's signature—effectively empowered others to make presidential decisions. "Essentially, whoever used the autopen was the president, and that is wrong," Trump said. "It's illegal. It's so bad, and it's so disrespectful to our country." The comments followed a memo Trump sent to the Department of Justice Wednesday, instructing Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether Biden’s aides conspired to mislead the public about his cognitive state while using the autopen for high-level decisions.

The unprecedented memo accuses aides of exploiting the president's signature, stating, "This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history. The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded the executive power, all while Biden's signature was deployed across thousands of documents to effect radical policy shifts."

Biden responded to the allegations by dismissing them as a distraction. "Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false," Biden said in an evening statement. He also accused Trump and congressional Republicans of attempting to divert attention from legislative efforts he claims would harm essential services, such as Medicaid, while benefitting the wealthy.

Trump doubled down on his criticism Thursday, arguing that autopens should not be used for important presidential actions, but rather for mass mailings such as responses to public correspondence. "I sign important documents. Usually, when they put documents in front of you, they're important... I think it's inappropriate," Trump said, noting that he could distinguish autopen signatures by spotting small pinholes left by the device. "I think it's very disrespectful to people when they get an autopen signature... That's where autopens start and stop."

The controversy has reignited debate around the use of technology in official government business. An autopen signature is automatically produced by a machine, in contrast to a genuine, handwritten signature. The issue gained traction earlier in 2025 after oversight groups determined Biden’s signature appeared identical on numerous executive orders, while his signature on the document announcing his exit from the 2024 presidential race appeared handwritten and unique.

Speculation continues to mount over whether key administration decisions and sweeping pardons were approved by Biden himself or by his aides using the autopen. Critics argue such actions undermine transparency and accountability at the nation’s highest level of government, fueling ongoing partisan clashes over executive authority and the integrity of the presidency.