{"id":2469102,"date":"2025-07-31T11:48:59","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T15:48:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-aide-mike-donilon-appears-for-house-oversigh-autopen-inquiry\/"},"modified":"2025-07-31T11:51:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T15:51:11","slug":"biden-aide-mike-donilon-appears-for-house-oversigh-autopen-inquiry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-aide-mike-donilon-appears-for-house-oversigh-autopen-inquiry\/","title":{"rendered":"Biden aide Mike Donilon appears for House Oversigh autopen inquiry"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbiden-aide-mike-donilon-appears-for-house-oversigh-autopen-inquiry%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2469102&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Mike Donilon, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/top-biden-adviser-departing-white-house-at-months-end\/\" title=\"...s top adviser leaving ... soon.\">longtime senior adviser<\/a> to former President Joe Biden, appeared for a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >closed-door interview<\/a> before the House Oversight Commitee as part of their extensive inquiry into Biden&#8217;s close circle and the use of an autopen device to sign documents. donilon, who has worked with Biden since 1981, is the latest high-ranking Biden aide to testify, following former deputy chief of staff Steve ricchetti. The committee aims to gather details about Biden&#8217;s mental capacity during his presidency,especially in 2024 when the autopen was used to sign multiple executive actions and pardons. Committee Chairman James Comer emphasized the importance of Donilon&#8217;s testimony in understanding whether White House staff concealed the president&#8217;s condition or took measures to perform his duties on his behalf. The investigation coincides with a separate inquiry launched by former President Donald Trump&#8217;s White house counsel and the Justice Department into the Biden management&#8217;s autopen use. Several other former Biden officials are expected to testify in the coming weeks.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Longtime Biden aide Mike Donilon appears for House Oversight Committee autopen inquiry<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2176786\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Mike Donilon, former senior adviser to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Joe Biden\">Joe Biden<\/a>, appeared for a closed-door interview Thursday morning for the House Oversight Committee&rsquo;s sprawling investigation into the former president&rsquo;s inner circle and use of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/autopen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"autopen\">autopen<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Donilon, who has worked with Biden since 1981, entered the Rayburn House Office room at 10:05 a.m. He did not respond to questions from reporters.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3487216\/texas-republicans-redistricting-gambling-on-latino-voters\/\">Texas Republicans&#8217; redistricting push gambling on Latino voters&#8217; loyalty<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3486810\/democrats-rebuke-trump-backed-redistricting-map-texas\/\">Democrats rebuke the Trump-backed redistricting map in Texas to cut out blue seats<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/3486643\/house-democrats-ice-lawsuit-dhs-immigrant-detention-sites\/\">House Democrats sue ICE and DHS for &#8216;blocking&#8217; entry into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/illinois-secretary-of-state-to-restrict-auto-premium-calculations-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Illinois Secretary of State to restrict auto premium calculations - ...\">immigrant detention sites<\/a><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The longtime Biden aide is the latest member of the former president&rsquo;s team to testify in front of the committee, and the second from the so-called &ldquo;Politburo&rdquo; group that made up his closest advisers. Former deputy chief of staff Steve Ricchetti, who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3485144\/steve-ricchetti-biden-politburo-house-oversight-autopen-interview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"testified Wednesday\">testified Wednesday<\/a>, was the first.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3440261\/biden-autopen-use-trump-investigation-what-to-know\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">BIDEN AUTOPEN USE: WHAT TO KNOW AS TRUMP ORDERS AN INVESTIGATION INTO HIS PREDECESSOR<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Like Ricchetti, the committee is hoping that as a close adviser, Donilon will be able to shed light on Biden&rsquo;s mental acuity during his time in the Oval Office, particularly in 2024, when his autopen signature was used to sign a wave of executive actions and pardons.<\/p>\n<p>House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) sent a letter to Donilon on June 4 requesting his testimony, writing that the committee believes the aide has information &ldquo;critical&rdquo; to the investigation.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Longtime Biden aide Mike Donilon appears for House Oversight&rsquo;s autopen inquiry <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/2NANfeApyb\">pic.twitter.com\/2NANfeApyb<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dcexaminer\/status\/1950928363045941264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 31, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;If White House staff carried out a strategy lasting months or even years to hide the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/czarbucks-fiscal-decisions-increasingly-influenced-by-unelected-officials-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Czarbucks: Fiscal decisions increasingly influenced by unelected officials - ...\">chief executive&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s condition&mdash;or to perform his duties&mdash;Congress may need to consider a legislative response,&rdquo; Comer&rsquo;s letter to Donilon reads.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3425049\/autopen-history-and-controversy-presidential-use\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">THE LONG HISTORY AND CONTROVERSY OF PRESIDENTIAL AUTOPEN USE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Multiple presidents have been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/style\/power\/2025\/07\/28\/there-is-robot-washington-that-signs-presidents-name\/?utm_campaign=wp_main&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"known to utilize an autopen\">known to utilize an autopen<\/a> during their time in the White House, usually to sign presidential letters and messages. However, the tool was used during Biden&rsquo;s waning hours in office to sign a series of pardons and clemency actions, which have been met with skepticism during President Donald Trump&rsquo;s administration.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mike Donilon, aide to former President Joe Biden, apperars on Capitol Hill on July 31, 2025 for the Biden auotpen investigation. (Graeme Jennings\/Washington Examiner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Trump&rsquo;s White House counsel <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3474846\/trump-white-house-biden-autopen-investigation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"launched its own investigation\">launched its own investigation<\/a> earlier this month into the Biden administration&rsquo;s use of the autopen, in conjunction with the Justice Department.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3435968\/biden-autopen-use-dc-widespread\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">BIDEN AUTOPEN USE IN DC WAS MORE WIDESPREAD THAN PREVIOUSLY KNOWN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Donilon is the eighth former Biden official whom the Oversight Committee has interviewed as part of its inquiry. The committee has also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3468994\/house-oversight-investigation-biden-autopen-use-witnesses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"scheduled interviews\">scheduled interviews<\/a> with former deputy chief of staff for policy Bruce Reed on Tuesday, and former senior adviser to the president for communications Anita Dunn on Aug. 7.<\/p>\n<p>More former Biden officials are expected to testify over the coming weeks, with interviews for press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, former Biden communication aides Ian Sams and Andrew Bates, and former chief of staff Jeff Zients, scheduled for August and September.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2176786\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2176786\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Biden aide Mike Donilon testifies in autopen probe<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3967,"featured_media":2469103,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/mike_donilon_biden_aide-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[58060,3620,33576,60335,5894],"class_list":["post-2469102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-autopen-inquiry","tag-biden","tag-house-oversight","tag-mike-donilon","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/mike_donilon_biden_aide-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2469102","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3967"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2469102"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2469102\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2469106,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2469102\/revisions\/2469106"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2469103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2469102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2469102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2469102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}