Trump blasts Biden autopen use after former president defended actions
Former President Donald Trump criticized President Joe Biden’s use of an autopen device too sign documents, calling it one of the biggest scandals in decades. Trump claimed that Biden was often unaware of what he was signing and suggested that Biden’s aides exercised important control over decisions, including controversial policies like open borders and transgender issues. In contrast, Biden defended his use of the autopen, stating it was legal and necesary due to the volume of clemency actions, and insisted he made all final decisions. Biden also accused Trump and Republicans of spreading falsehoods thru ongoing congressional investigations into his governance. The debate highlights tensions between the two leaders regarding presidential authority and clarity.
Trump blasts autopen use in Biden White House after former president defended actions
President Donald Trump criticized Joe Biden over his autopen use after the former president defended himself in a rare media interview amid escalating congressional investigations into his administration.
Trump repeated that Biden’s autopen use is “one of the biggest scandals” in “50 to 100 years” because his predecessor “knew nothing about what he was signing.”
“They’re going to figure it out, and we’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday of the congressional inquiries. “It’s not supposed to be for signing major legislation.”
Trump reiterated his claim that Biden aides were “freewheeling” around him, and that they and not the former president were for “open borders” and “transgender for everyone.”
“I think the radical Left people that took — they took over the White House,” he said alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “If I didn’t win, our country was finished.”
Biden, in an interview with the New York Times, his first since he became president in 2021, remained adamant that he “made every decision” when he was in office, but when it came to clemency, he sometimes signed off on criteria rather than individuals.
“I made every single one of those,” he told the news outlet. “And — including the categories, when we set this up to begin with. And so — but I understand why Trump would think that, because obviously, I guess, he doesn’t focus much. Anyway, so — yes, I made every decision.”
BIDEN’S STAFF APPROVED MASS LAST-MINUTE PARDONS WITH AUTOPEN
The former president added: “I laid out a strategy how I want to go about these, dealing with pardons and commutations. I was — and I pulled the team in to say this is how I want to get it done, generically and then specifically. And so, you know, that’s just — this is how it worked.”
At the same time, Biden did confirm his autopen use, contending it was necessary because “there were a lot” of clemency actions.
“The autopen is, you know, is legal,” he said. “As you know, other presidents used it, including Trump. But the point is that, you know, we’re talking about a whole lot of people.”
THE LONG HISTORY AND CONTROVERSY OF PRESIDENTIAL AUTOPEN USE
Biden also scrutinized Trump and Republicans over the investigations, calling them “crazy” and “liars.”
“They know it,” he said. “They’ve had a pretty good thing going here. They’ve done so badly. They’ve lied so consistently about almost everything they’re doing. The best thing they can do is try to change the focus and focus on something else. And this is a — I think that’s what this is about.”
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