President Trump on Wednesday ordered a formal investigation into decisions made by former President Joe Biden, citing growing concerns over Biden’s cognitive condition during the final stretch of his presidency.
Trump instructed the White House counsel working closely with Attorney General Pam Bondi to examine whether individuals may have conspired to conceal Biden’s mental decline and unlawfully carried out presidential duties on his behalf. The probe is expected to focus on key actions taken late in Biden’s term, particularly those signed using an autopen a routine signature device that’s drawn attention from critics questioning Biden’s capacity to govern.
The review will encompass a wide range of official activity, including Biden’s appointment of over 200 federal judges, thousands of acts of clemency, and more than 1,000 presidential orders, proclamations, and directives issued throughout his tenure.
In response, Biden issued a strongly worded statement defending his record and decision-making process while in office.
“I made the decisions as President regarding pardons, executive orders, legislative actions, and more,” Biden said. “Any claim to the contrary is absurd and entirely false. This is nothing but a political sideshow by Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress, designed to distract from their push to gut critical programs like Medicaid and hike costs for working families to fund handouts for the wealthy.”
Biden’s supporters have emphasized that the use of an autopen is not unusual and has legal precedent, especially for high-volume executive tasks. They also point out that presidential clemency powers are broadly defined and largely unrestricted under the Constitution.
Recent publications, including the book Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, have reignited debates about Biden’s mental sharpness and whether signs of decline were actively downplayed by his administration.
Since returning to the White House, Trump and GOP allies have taken several steps to investigate the matter further. The administration confirmed that Ed Martin, the new pardon attorney, is reviewing clemency decisions made by Biden particularly those involving close associates and family members.
Meanwhile, House Republicans have begun reaching out to former Biden staffers for insight into internal decision-making processes during his presidency. The Justice Department also recently released full recordings of Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur, which raised eyebrows after Hur noted apparent memory issues though Biden had already made the transcript public during his time in office.