Washington (AP) – President Donald Trump officials claimed on Thursday that Joe Biden‘s administration may have effectively replicated his boss’s signatures, taking actions without his knowledge—though they acknowledged there is no evidence to support this assertion.
During a meeting in the Oval Office, German Prime Minister Friedrich Merz stated that Trump has repeatedly leveled his long-standing accusations against the Biden White House, alleging that they relied on autopens to sign pardons, executive orders, and other significant documents, which raises questions about their legitimacy.
“Essentially, anyone who utilized Autoopen was president,” Trump remarked. “It’s wrong. It’s illegal. It’s a serious breach and deeply disrespectful to our nation.”
Trump continued to allege that the Biden administration acted without the president’s consent, insinuating that illicit elements may have forged his signature.
“He wasn’t fully aware of what was happening,” Trump claimed.
However, when pressed by reporters for evidence of specific documents signed without Biden’s knowledge or instances of illegal actions within the administration, Trump said, “No, but I have revealed the human mind.”
He referenced a dismal debate performance where Biden was forced to back out of his reelection bid last summer, asserting, “I was debating against the human mind, but I didn’t think he knew what he was doing.”
“Let’s clarify. I made decisions during my presidency. I made choices regarding pardons, executive orders, laws, and declarations,” Biden stated in a response Wednesday night.
This came after Trump urged his administration to look into his presidential actions. Using an autopen raises doubts about his decisions.
Attorney General Pam Bondy and White House lawyer David Warrington were tasked with overseeing the investigation into these claims. Targeting Trump’s political adversaries could set the stage for a Republican argument discrediting Biden’s presidential actions.
The Justice Department has recognized the use of autopens for signing laws and issuing pardons for decades, underlining the President’s absolute power of pardon as enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.
Trump’s vehement accusations against Biden have lingered since his predecessor defeated him in 2020.
Trump has never conceded the 2020 election and continues to falsely assert it was rigged against him. Even on Thursday, he reiterated his allegations regarding the 2020 election.
Trump often implies that Biden misused an autopen, a mechanical device that mimics a person’s real signature. He noted on Thursday that he himself employed it, including for signing numerous letters to young people. Still, he insisted he was using Biden’s as well. “It’s probably the biggest scandal in the last 100 years of this country.”
Biden had intended to issue a pardon to his siblings and sister in January to shield them from possible prosecutions under Trump, which he had vowed to retaliate against during the last campaign. Other recipients of pardons included individuals involved in the Congressional Committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots.
Trump frequently advocates for investigations into his political opponents, directing the Justice Department to examine those who have crossed him over the years. This includes Chris Krebs, a former cybersecurity official who challenged Trump’s assertions about the 2020 election being stolen, and Miles Taylor of the Homeland Security Agency, who penned a critical anonymous op-ed about the president in 2018.
Meanwhile, House Oversight Supervisor James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, has called for a transcribed interview with five Biden aides, accusing them of participating in a “cover-up,” referring to it as “one of the biggest scandals in our nation’s history.”
“These five former senior advisers witnessed President Biden’s condition and operations within the Biden White House,” Comer stated. “They are required to testify before the House Oversight Committee and provide truthful answers about President Biden’s cognitive status and who was making the decisions.”
Comer also reiterated his request for Biden’s doctor, Kevin O’Connor, and other former White House aides to appear before the committee. He warned that failure to agree to a voluntary interview could result in a subpoena being issued this week.
“Americans didn’t elect bureaucrats to run the country,” said Rep. Brandon Gill, a freshman Republican from Texas. He added, “I believe Americans deserve the truth and want to know what actually transpired.”
Source: apnews.com