Biden’s chief of staff approved the use of autopen for key pardons, sparking a Trump-led scandal and calls for investigation.

Chief of Staff Signed Off on Autopen Pardons for Top Officials

Former President Joe Biden’s chief of staff, Jeff Zients, gave final approval for the use of an autopen to execute multiple high-profile preemptive pardons on Biden’s last day in office, according to a new report. The use of the autopen, a machine designed to replicate a person’s signature, has been at the center of controversy as President Donald Trump alleges that thousands of pardons issued in Biden’s final months are void and questions whether Biden himself knew what he was signing.

The pardons included notable figures such as Anthony Fauci, former chief medical advisor to the president, and Gen. Mark Milley, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. These actions, which took place on January 19, followed an evening meeting at the White House where Biden and his aides discussed various preemptive pardons. Emails obtained by the New York Times show Zients explicitly approved the use of the autopen for these pardons just after 10:30 p.m. that night.

“I approve the use of the autopen for the execution of all of the following pardons,” Zients wrote in an email, formalizing the decision on behalf of the outgoing administration. The move was reportedly aimed at safeguarding officials from potential retribution as President Trump prepared to take office.

Trump Calls for Investigation Amid Scandal Allegations

The Times also reported that Biden did not personally review each name included in the broad, categorical pardons. Instead, after extensive discussion, he set the criteria for eligibility and left the detailed execution to his staff. Trump, responding to the revelations, labeled Biden’s use of the autopen as potentially “one of the biggest scandals that we’ve had in 50 to 100 years.” He claimed, “I guarantee you he knew nothing about what he was signing.”

The White House countered with accusations of its own, questioning Biden’s trustworthiness and alleging that the previous administration orchestrated a cover-up. “The same president who lied through his teeth to the American people for four years about everything from his health to the state of the economy should not be trusted again,” said White House spokesperson Harrison Fields.

According to the Pew Research Center, Biden granted a total of 4,245 acts of clemency during his administration, with 96% occurring in his final months. The use of the autopen for these actions has prompted Trump to order Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate, alleging it concealed Biden’s cognitive decline and allowed aides to assert presidential authority in his name.

“This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history. The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded the executive power, all while Biden's signature was deployed across thousands of documents to effect radical policy shifts,” Trump wrote in a memo.

Debate Over Autopen’s Legitimacy and Executive Power

The autopen, a device capable of holding various writing instruments and replicating signatures, has been used by presidents in the past. However, critics argue its application in the context of sweeping executive actions raises questions about transparency and legitimacy. Trump maintains that he personally signs all operational and binding documents, though he has acknowledged using an autopen for letters.

As the investigation continues and public debate intensifies, the issue has become a flashpoint over the exercise of executive power, the integrity of presidential actions, and the boundaries of trust in the nation’s highest office. The outcome of ongoing probes and the potential for further revelations are likely to shape future standards for executive decision-making and document authentication at the presidential level.