House Republicans are on the verge of releasing a highly anticipated investigative report accusing former President Joe Biden’s aides of exploiting the autopen—a mechanical signature device—to execute executive actions without his direct involvement or awareness. The probe, spearheaded by the House Oversight Committee, alleges this practice undermined the constitutional authority of the presidency during Biden’s final months in office.
At its core, the controversy revolves around claims that as Biden’s cognitive and physical health reportedly waned—reaching age 82 by the end of his term—White House staff bypassed proper protocols, using the autopen for high-stakes decisions like pardons and executive orders. Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) has labeled it “the Biden Autopen Presidency,” calling it “among the greatest scandals in U.S. history.” The committee’s findings, drawn from interviews with over a dozen former senior officials, promise to detail specific instances of alleged overreach, though exact examples remain under wraps until the report’s public debut, expected imminently.
This isn’t just partisan theater; it taps into broader concerns about presidential fitness. Witnesses described Biden’s schedules being scaled back to accommodate his “degraded” state, with more frequent meetings to compensate. Some aides even discussed the possibility of a cognitive exam, though no formal one materialized. However, key figures like Biden’s former physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, stonewalled the probe by invoking Fifth Amendment protections, fueling GOP suspicions of a cover-up.
Biden has fired back forcefully, insisting in a summer statement: “Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency.” Aides like ex-Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and counselor Steve Ricchetti have echoed this, admitting only that decision-making “slowed” over time but denying any unauthorized power grabs. Democrats on the committee, meanwhile, decry the entire effort as a smokescreen to deflect from investigations into the Trump administration’s own alleged improprieties.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. President Donald Trump, now back in the White House, has amplified the rhetoric, directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to scrutinize whether autopen misuse could nullify Biden-era pardons (including broad “blanket” ones for family members) and policies. A recent Trump administration memo branded it an “unconstitutional wielding of the power of the presidency,” hinting at widespread legal challenges. Trump’s team has even floated adding a mocking “Biden Autopen” portrait to a new White House “Presidential Walk of Fame” exhibit, underscoring the political jab.
While Comer’s probe has been building since at least August 2025—complete with subpoenas for audio from Special Counsel Robert Hur’s classified documents investigation—critics argue the claims lack hard, public evidence so far. Legal experts note that autopens have been a presidential tool since Thomas Jefferson’s era (via polygraph machines), and federal law permits their use for most documents as long as the president authorizes them. But if proven that Biden was unaware or incapacitated, it could trigger unprecedented reversals of actions from 2024-2025.
As the report looms, this saga exemplifies Washington’s finger-pointing machine: Republicans demand accountability for a “shadow presidency,” while Democrats see it as vindictive score-settling. With Trump’s DOJ now in play, the fallout could reshape how we view Biden’s legacy—and test the boundaries of executive power. Stay tuned; the full details drop soon, and they could either detonate or fizzle.
