Former President Joe Biden Breaks Silence on Autopen Controversy, Blames Trump for Stirring Distraction

In a rare and highly anticipated public statement, former President Joe Biden has broken his silence months after the controversy surrounding the use of an autopen to sign last-minute clemency grants in the final days of his presidency.

The use of the autopen to execute pardons and commutations for a number of high-profile individuals—including controversial figures like Dr. Anthony Fauci—had sparked a wave of criticism from both conservatives and legal experts.

Biden, who had largely refrained from addressing the issue directly, now finds himself on the defensive, responding to allegations that the autopen was used improperly to bypass the standard procedures for granting clemency.

In his statement, Biden defended the use of the autopen, arguing that it was a standard administrative tool that had been employed for routine tasks throughout his presidency.

He further placed the blame on former President Donald Trump for fueling the controversy and turning the use of the autopen into a political distraction.

Biden’s remarks are likely to reignite the debate over the legitimacy of the pardons signed during his administration’s final days, as well as the broader issue of executive power and accountability in the pardoning process.

The controversy began shortly before Biden left office in January 2025, when it was revealed that several high-profile pardons had been signed using the White House autopen, a machine designed to replicate the signature of the President.

Among those granted clemency were individuals whose names had garnered significant attention, including Dr. Fauci, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s former allies, and several figures associated with the January 6th Capitol riots.

The revelations were first reported by The New York Times, which uncovered emails indicating that White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients had authorized the use of the autopen to sign off on a list of pardons presented to Biden in the final days of his presidency.

According to the report, Zients had sent an email approving the use of the machine to execute the pardons, a decision that was reportedly made to expedite the process given the urgency of the situation.

Critics quickly seized on the fact that the autopen was used for such a significant and controversial task. The autopen is typically used for routine documents, such as letters to constituents or proclamations, but using it for clemency grants raised serious questions about the legitimacy of the pardons.

Legal experts and conservatives, in particular, argued that the autopen could not be considered a legitimate means of signing pardons, especially for individuals who had been involved in high-profile cases.

The use of the autopen sparked immediate backlash from conservatives, with many accusing Biden of circumventing the proper processes for issuing clemency.

Former President Trump, who has long been a vocal critic of Biden’s policies, seized on the controversy to further attack the legitimacy of the Biden administration and its approach to executive power.

In his statement, Biden sought to defuse the controversy by defending the use of the autopen, arguing that it was a standard tool used by his administration to carry out routine administrative functions.

He emphasized that the use of the autopen had been approved by legal experts within the White House and that it was no different from other administrative procedures used to expedite paperwork during a busy transition period.

"The use of the autopen is not something new or unusual. It’s a tool that has been used by previous administrations for routine tasks, and there was nothing improper about its use in this case," Biden stated.

"The clemency grants that were signed using the autopen were all carefully reviewed and thoroughly vetted by my legal team. These were decisions made with the best interests of the American people in mind, and I stand by them."

Biden went on to stress that the use of the autopen had been entirely consistent with the practice of previous presidents, including Donald Trump, who had also used the machine for similar administrative tasks during his time in office.

According to Biden, the decision to use the autopen was not a matter of circumventing the law, but rather a practical step to ensure that important work was completed before the transition to the next administration.

"The idea that the use of the autopen in these circumstances was somehow improper is simply not true," Biden continued. "This was a tool used to ensure that important work, including the finalization of clemency grants, was done in a timely and efficient manner. The decision to use it was made in consultation with my legal team, and I fully trust the judgment of those experts."

Biden’s defense, however, did little to quell the growing backlash from conservatives, who remained critical of the use of the autopen in such a high-stakes situation.

They argued that the use of the machine for such significant decisions, particularly in the case of controversial pardons, undermined the credibility of the process and raised questions about the integrity of the decisions made by the Biden administration.

While Biden attempted to defend the use of the autopen as a routine and acceptable practice, he also pointed the finger at former President Donald Trump, suggesting that the controversy had been amplified and politicized by Trump and his allies.

According to Biden, Trump had used the autopen issue as a "distraction" to deflect attention from other issues and to undermine the legitimacy of the pardons granted during the final days of the administration.

Biden’s remarks were clearly aimed at pushing back against the narrative that had been pushed by Trump and his supporters, who had seized on the autopen issue as a way to attack the Biden administration.

"It’s unfortunate that my predecessor has chosen to politicize this issue and use it as a means of distraction," Biden said. "Rather than focusing on the work we’ve done to help the American people, he’s chosen to make a mountain out of a molehill. The real issue is not about how the pardons were signed, but about the actions that led to those pardons in the first place."

Trump, for his part, has continued to stoke the controversy surrounding the use of the autopen, using it as a tool to further delegitimize Biden’s presidency.

In a statement released after Biden’s comments, Trump accused the Biden administration of “fraudulently” signing off on pardons and suggested that the use of the autopen was part of a broader effort to cover up political misdeeds.

"Once again, Joe Biden is trying to hide the truth. The autopen is a symbol of corruption and deceit, and it should never have been used to grant pardons to people who should not have been let off the hook," Trump said in his statement. "This is just another example of the Biden administration’s lack of transparency and accountability."

The debate over the use of the autopen has become yet another point of contention in an already deeply polarized political landscape. For Biden and his supporters, the use of the autopen is nothing more than a practical tool that was used to ensure that necessary work was completed before the end of his term. For Trump and his allies, however, it represents yet another example of what they see as an illegitimate and corrupt administration.

In the wake of Biden’s comments, the controversy is unlikely to subside anytime soon. Conservative critics continue to push for further investigations into the pardons granted by the Biden administration, particularly those signed using the autopen.

At the same time, Biden’s defenders argue that the focus should remain on the substance of the pardons, not the process by which they were signed.

As the debate rages on, it is clear that the autopen controversy has become a flashpoint in the larger battle over executive power and accountability.

Whether it will have a lasting impact on Biden’s legacy remains to be seen, but it has certainly given his political opponents another avenue to attack his administration and question his decisions.

For Biden, the challenge will be to weather the storm and continue pushing forward with his legislative agenda, all while defending the integrity of his presidency against the ongoing attacks from the right.

As the controversy surrounding the use of the autopen continues to unfold, many are left wondering whether it will have any lasting impact on the Biden administration or his political future.

While the use of the autopen may seem like a relatively minor issue in the grand scheme of things, it has become a symbol of the larger fight over executive power and the legitimacy of decisions made by the President.

In the coming months, it is likely that the debate over the autopen will continue to fuel political discourse, with both sides using the issue to advance their respective narratives.

For Biden, the challenge will be to move beyond the controversy and focus on the issues that matter most to the American people, including the economy, healthcare, and social justice.

For Trump, the autopen issue provides another opportunity to attack the Biden administration and further solidify his base of support as he looks ahead to potential future political battles.

The outcome of this controversy may ultimately depend on how it is framed by both parties, but one thing is clear: the debate over the use of the autopen will continue to shape the political landscape for the foreseeable future.

As both sides dig in their heels, the American people will be left to decide whether this issue is a legitimate concern or simply another distraction in the ever-evolving political drama of Washington, D.C.