In the final hours of former US President Joe Biden’s term, his chief of staff Jeff Zients reportedly authorised the use of an autopen.The autopen was used to sign off on several high-profile pardons, including those for Dr Anthony Fauci and General Mark Milley, according to a report by The New York Times.Autopen is a machine that replicates a person’s signature with a physical pen. It is not the same as a stamp or digital image. It physically holds a pen and mimics the person’s signature, and can use different pen types. The use of the autopen has become a point of controversy, with US President Donald Trump calling many of the pardons invalid. Trump argues Biden had no knowledge of what he was signing and claims the practice hides the former president’s alleged cognitive decline.
Emails show Zients approved pardons
The NYT report details how Biden held a meeting with aides until nearly 10 pm on January 19, his final full day in office. During the meeting, they discussed a list of individuals to receive preemptive pardons. A draft summary was sent at 10:03 pm to Zients’ assistant, who then forwarded it to Zients and deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed at 10:28 pm.Minutes later, Zients responded: “I approve the use of the autopen for the execution of all of the following pardons,” NYT reported.Zients did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.While Biden reportedly agreed to the criteria for clemency, NYT noted that he did not personally review each individual name included in the broad batch of pardons. Instead, he authorised a set of standards that aides used to determine eligibility.
Trump slams use of autopen
Reacting to the report, Trump described Biden’s use of the autopen as “possibly one of the biggest scandals that we’ve had in 50 to 100 years.” He added, “I guarantee you he knew nothing about what he was signing, I guarantee you.”Trump first raised the issue in March and has since called on US attorney general Pam Bondi to investigate whether the use of the device was part of a wider attempt to conceal Biden’s mental condition.“This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history,” Trump wrote in a June memo. “The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded the executive power.”
White House, critics respond
The White House dismissed Trump’s claims and said the report reflects Biden’s trust in his team. However, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields criticised Biden’s administration, calling it “the most egregious cover-up scheme in American politics.”Biden issued 4,245 acts of clemency during his term, with 96% signed between October 2024 and January 2025. The autopen was reportedly used for most of those documents, reports Fox News. While Trump admits to using the autopen for letters, the White House insists he signs all legally binding documents by hand.
Hunter Biden Pardoned
Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, was granted a full and unconditional presidential pardon by his father on December 1, 2024. This pardon covered all federal offences committed from January 1, 2014, to December 1, 2024 — including his convictions for lying on a gun purchase form and evading approximately $1.4 million in taxes.Initially, Biden had publicly stated he would not pardon his son. However, he later reversed course, citing his belief that Hunter had been “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.”The pardon ended both of Hunter’s federal cases: one in Delaware (gun charges) and one in California (tax charges).
