What's happened
On November 28-29, 2025, former President Donald Trump declared he would nullify all executive orders and documents signed by President Joe Biden using an autopen device, alleging illegal use and mental incapacity. Trump claims about 92% of Biden's orders were autopen-signed. Legal experts confirm autopen use is longstanding and valid if authorized. Biden denies incapacity and unauthorized use.
What's behind the headline?
Trump’s Autopen Claims: Political Strategy Over Legal Ground
Trump’s announcement to cancel Biden’s autopen-signed orders is less a legal maneuver and more a political statement aimed at undermining Biden’s legacy and legitimacy. Despite autopen’s long-standing acceptance — confirmed by the 2005 Justice Department and used by presidents including Obama and Trump himself — Trump frames its use under Biden as evidence of senility and illegitimacy.
The Legal Reality
Executive orders can be revoked by a sitting president, but other documents like pardons carry legal weight regardless of signature method if authorized. Trump’s broad claim to nullify "anything else" signed by autopen lacks legal precedent and will likely face judicial challenges.
Political Motives and Timing
This move follows Biden’s preemptive pardons for Trump’s political adversaries and Biden’s own family, fueling Trump’s narrative of a corrupt and incapacitated administration. It also serves Trump’s ongoing campaign to delegitimize Biden’s presidency and energize his base ahead of his 2029 term end.
Implications for Governance and Public Trust
Trump’s claims risk deepening political polarization and public distrust in executive processes. The controversy spotlights the tension between traditional presidential practices and partisan narratives. It also raises questions about the limits of presidential authority and the politicization of administrative tools.
Forecast
Legal experts will likely dismiss Trump’s claims on autopen use, but the political fallout will persist. This episode will reinforce partisan divides and may influence public perceptions of presidential competence and legitimacy in future elections.
What the papers say
Mikey Smith of The Mirror highlights Trump’s unfounded conspiracy theory that 92% of Biden’s orders were autopen-signed and claims Biden was unaware or incapable, noting no evidence supports these allegations. Al Jazeera Staff details Trump’s social media post declaring all autopen-signed documents void and his threat to prosecute Biden for perjury, while emphasizing the autopen’s historical use dating back to Thomas Jefferson and Obama’s precedent in 2011. Steven Nelson in the NY Post reports Trump’s accusations of Biden being AWOL and aides running the country, but also notes a House Republican investigation found no direct evidence of unauthorized autopen use. The Times of Israel and SBS provide legal context, quoting experts who confirm presidents can revoke executive orders regardless of signature method but have limited authority over other documents like pardons. Sky News covers Trump’s claim that Biden was not involved in the autopen process and his replacement of Biden’s portrait with an autopen image, underscoring the political theatrics. Together, these sources reveal a consistent narrative of Trump weaponizing autopen use allegations to challenge Biden’s legitimacy, despite legal and factual rebuttals.
How we got here
Autopen devices have been used by U.S. presidents for decades to sign documents when physically unavailable. Biden, who left office at age 82, used autopen for many executive orders and pardons, including controversial preemptive pardons for individuals targeted by Trump. Trump, 79, has repeatedly questioned Biden's mental fitness and legitimacy of his actions, continuing claims from his 2020 election loss and 2024 defeat.
Go deeper
- What is an autopen and how is it used by presidents?
- Can a president legally cancel another president's executive orders?
- What were the controversial pardons Biden issued before leaving office?
More on these topics
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Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is an American politician who is the 46th and current president of the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and represented Delaware in the United States Senate
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Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
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An automatic pen, or autopen (informally known as a signing machine), is a mechanical device used for the replicated signing of a human signature.
Prominent individuals may be asked to provide their signatures many times a day, such as celebrities receiv