In a dramatic escalation of his long-running criticism of Joe Biden’s presidency, US President Donald Trump on Friday declared that he is voiding every Executive Order and official document issued during Biden’s tenure that was not personally signed by the former president. The announcement, delivered through an extensive post on Truth Social, underscores the confrontational style Trump has adopted since returning to the Oval Office.
According to Trump, the bulk of Biden’s directives were not authentically signed by him. Instead, Trump alleged that “approximately 92% of them” were stamped using an autopen — a mechanical signature device commonly used for high-volume official paperwork. Trump claimed the practice was never lawfully authorised and therefore rendered the documents “of no further force or effect.”
Trump Accuses Biden of Evading Responsibility
In his post, Trump insisted that Biden had little involvement in the signing process and suggested possible legal consequences, writing that any denial by Biden could open him up to perjury allegations. The message follows a familiar pattern of Trump questioning Biden’s attention to and involvement in governmental duties.
Earlier this year, Trump took a public dig at his predecessor by unveiling a “Presidential Walk of Fame” outside the White House that showcased portraits of former presidents—except Biden. In his place stood an image of an autopen machine, a symbolic jab suggesting Biden was detached from decision-making.
Taking to Truth Social, Trump said: “Any document signed by Sleepy Joe Biden with the Autopen, which was approximately 92% of them, is hereby terminated, and of no further force or effect. The Autopen is not allowed to be used if approval is not specifically given by the President of the United States. The Radical Left Lunatics circling Biden around the beautiful Resolute Desk in the Oval Office took the Presidency away from him. I am hereby cancelling all Executive Orders, and anything else that was not directly signed by Crooked Joe Biden, because the people who operated the Autopen did so illegally.”
Autopen: A Tool With A Long Presidential History
Despite Trump’s criticism, the autopen has been a staple of US presidential administrations for more than a century. The device, which replicates signatures using real ink, has helped officials handle the vast volume of documents requiring authentication. Thomas Jefferson obtained an early version in 1803, and presidents including Gerald Ford, Lyndon B. Johnson, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama used the tool, as per US Today.
In 2011, Obama became the first president to use an autopen to sign legislation into law, a move that sparked debate but ultimately stood unquestioned in legal terms. Even Trump himself relied on the technology during his earlier term for routine correspondence.
