Washington, D.C. – November 29, 2025
In a bold and legally contentious salvo against his predecessor's legacy, President Donald Trump announced Friday that he is nullifying nearly all of former President Joe Biden's executive orders and directives, claiming they were invalidly signed using an autopen machine rather than by hand. Trump escalated the rhetoric by threatening perjury charges against Biden, alleging the former president falsely attested to personally approving the documents.
The declaration, posted on Trump's Truth Social platform and reiterated in a White House briefing, targets what Trump described as "approximately 92%" of Biden's executive actions—potentially affecting hundreds of orders on issues ranging from climate change and immigration to student debt relief and LGBTQ+ protections. "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," Trump wrote. He further asserted that "the Autopen is not allowed to be used if approval is not specifically given by the President of the United States," labeling the practice a "radical left scam" that undermined the Constitution.
Trump's move revives a long-standing presidential tool: the autopen, a device that mechanically replicates a signature, has been used by U.S. leaders since Thomas Jefferson's era to handle high volumes of documents. Barack Obama was the first to employ it for signing legislation in 2011, and Trump himself authorized its use during his first term for routine correspondence. Legal scholars quickly dismissed the president's claims as baseless, noting that federal law permits autopens for official acts as long as the principal authorizes the signature. "This is executive overreach on steroids," said constitutional expert Laurence Tribe in a CNN interview. "You can't just wave a wand and erase the past administration's work without congressional action or court approval."
The perjury threat stems from Trump's accusation that Biden committed fraud by verbally affirming documents during signing ceremonies without physically inking them. "Biden lied under oath about being involved— that's perjury, and we're looking into charges," Trump told reporters at the White House, though he provided no evidence of sworn statements or specific violations. The Justice Department has not commented on potential investigations, but sources familiar with the matter described the idea as "politically motivated theater" unlikely to advance.
Biden's camp fired back swiftly. In a statement from his Wilmington, Delaware, residence, the former president called the announcement "a desperate attempt to rewrite history and distract from the real crises facing Americans." Spokesperson Andrew Bates added, "President Biden personally reviewed and approved every major action of his administration. This stunt dishonors the dedicated public servants who implemented them and sets a dangerous precedent for future presidents." Democrats in Congress, led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, vowed to block any implementation through oversight hearings and potential lawsuits, arguing that unilateral revocation could trigger chaos in federal agencies.
The timing of Trump's order aligns with his broader "Day One" agenda to dismantle Biden-era policies, including mass deportations and energy deregulation. Affected directives could include Executive Order 14008 on climate justice and Order 13985 on advancing racial equity—both of which Trump has targeted since his November 2024 reelection. Implementation details remain murky; White House counsel has directed agencies to "review and suspend" autopen-linked rules pending legal challenges, but experts predict swift court battles from advocacy groups like the ACLU.
Republicans hailed the move as a fulfillment of campaign promises. House Speaker Mike Johnson praised it as "restoring integrity to the Oval Office," while Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell cautioned that "hasty revocations risk unintended consequences." On the campaign trail in Iowa, Vice President JD Vance echoed Trump's sentiments, quipping, "If Biden was napping through his presidency, it's time to wake up to the cleanup."
As the dust settles, this autopen imbroglio underscores the deepening partisan divide over executive power. With Trump's second term barely two weeks old, the episode signals an aggressive start, but its longevity may hinge on the judiciary. For now, the fate of Biden's signature policies hangs in the balance—ironically, perhaps, by one not his own.
TCO News will monitor legal and political fallout from this executive earthquake.
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