President Trump has initiated a broad investigation into the previous administration, tasking the Justice Department with determining if unelected officials were effectively running the country during Joe Biden’s presidency.
The inquiry will focus on the use of autopen signatures on official documents during Biden’s final period in office. This includes scrutinizing the commutations of 37 death sentences and pardons issued to family members and political associates, as outlined in a White House executive directive released on Wednesday.
“Given clear indications that President Biden lacked the capacity to exercise his Presidential authority, if his advisors secretly used the mechanical signature pen to conceal this incapacity, while taking radical executive actions all in his name, that would constitute an unconstitutional wielding of the power of the Presidency,” Trump’s order stated.
Biden’s health, particularly his cognitive abilities, became a significant issue during his reelection campaign last year. Critics pointed to his unsteady gait, memory problems, and difficulty in expressing himself. The situation intensified after a poor debate performance against Trump in June 2024, leading to calls from within the Democratic party for him to withdraw from the race. Biden officially resigned the following month.
Last month, Biden’s team announced he had been diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer. Numerous commentators, including Trump, have suggested that the illness developed over several years and that Biden’s close advisors intentionally concealed the diagnosis from the public. Senator Ron Johnson, head of the Homeland Security investigative subcommittee, has also begun an investigation into a possible cover-up regarding the former president’s health.