The Autopen Conundrum has reached a new level since last week’s initial discovery. At issue was that President Joe Biden authorized use of an autopen to sign official documents. Or, as seems more likely, a White House official took it upon himself to use that device for that purpose. President Donald Trump, as the week ended, teased the prospect of invalidating some of Biden’s official acts. Now he has made his decision plain: he will investigate those who received last-minute pardons from Biden. He will proceed as if they never got a pardon – for as far as he’s concerned, a document bearing an autopen signature without Joe Biden so much as uttering a specific command for such signature, is not worth the paper it’s printed on.
Review of the Autopen Conundrum
CNAV broke the story of the Autopen Conundrum last week.
To review: an autopen is a mechanical device that literally moves a pen over a page to apply a signature. The Autopen Company, a subsidiary of Damilic, invented the device (as Xerox invented photocopiers and Bristol-Myers invented aspirin).
Celebrities use autopens all the time, to “sign” souvenir flyers, brochures, and other “autographed” documents. (It’s bad form to advertise a document bearing a “personal signature” and send an autopen signed document instead. But as long as that “document” is a mere souvenir, not a contract, deed, or other legal document, that’s legal.)
President Trump’s White House has strict guidelines over the use of an autopen. Never does Trump or anyone else sign anything official with it. That starts with Acts of Congress and continues to executive orders, presidential memoranda – and reprieves and pardons.
Our practice around autopen usage is far more restrictive than most previous administrations. We do not use the autopen for documents that exercise the powers of the Presidency. So, for example, we do not use the autopen for executive orders, presidential memoranda, decision memoranda, nominations, appointment orders or commissions, or bills to be signed. We do not use the autopen even for more routine purposes, such as the invitation of foreign leaders to the White House. The President personally signs all of these, in the presence of witnesses. We will occasionally use the autopen when a single document requires multiple presidential signatures, or when multiple copies of a single document require signing, but only after the President has personally signed off and only at his direction.
William Scharf, Staff Secretary to President Trump
Mr. Scharf is the one people see presenting Executive Orders to Trump to sign, before witnesses.
Biden, on the other hand, offered no meaningful guidelines. The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project developed clear evidence of autopen usage, in the form of signatures looking exactly alike. Thus far the only provably “authentic” Biden signature was on his letter dropping out of the Presidential race last year. The worst part was Biden’s apparent use of the device to sign six pardons – on the same day he was vacationing elsewhere, in front of witnesses.
Further evidence
On Friday noon (March 14), the New York Post published its summary of the written policy governing autopen use in the Trump White House. But in that same article, they described a report by a confidential source, saying one aide took upon himself the decision on use of the autopen. The Post refused to disclose this aide’s name, out of an abundance of legal caution. (Other Biden White House alumni flatly deny that any of their colleagues did any such thing.)
I feared no one as much as I feared that [aide]. To me, [he] basically was the president. No one ever questioned [him]. Period.
Nor did anyone else, because the “internal culture” in the Biden White House discouraged questioning.
Later Friday afternoon, President Trump, at a press conference, responded to the autopen scandal.
He described his own take on autopen ethics, and contrasted that with Biden’s use:
Crooked Joe Biden got us into a real mess with Russia and everything else he did, frankly. But he didn’t know about it, and he, generally speaking, signed it with autopen, so how would he know? That autopen is a big deal. I don’t know, you know? Who’s doing this?
When my people come up, Will [Scharf] and all of the people, Steve [Miller], they come up… Sir, this is an executive order, they explain it to me, and 90% of the time, I sign it. 99% of the time, I say, do it. But, they come up, and I sign it.
But, you don’t use autopen. Number one, it’s disrespectful to the office. Number two, maybe it’s not even valid because, you know, who’s getting him to sign? He had no idea what the hell he was doing. If he did, all of these bad things wouldn’t be happening.
That last paragraph recalls people challenging Biden on pardons and other documents – only to hear Biden disavow any knowledge of them.
As always, should you or any member of your [Impossible Missions] Force be caught or killed, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions.
Routine disclaimer accompanying “mission orders” as heard on the television series Mission: Impossible.
The next day, The Gateway Pundit shared another post by the Oversight Project. Apparently – and contrary to CNAV’s initial impression – someone did have Biden create one additional machine signature. These signatures, now designated Autopens A and B, came to light in an analysis of the January 19 last-minute pardons.
🚨 Autopen Update 🚨
We analyzed Biden's Jan. 19, 2025 "pardons" for:
-Biden Family Members
-Anthony Fauci
-General Milley
-J6 Committee
-Gerald Lundergan
They all have the same exact Biden autopen signature.
https://x.com/OversightPR/status/1899520975156216146
Gerald “Jerry” Lundergan is a former member of the Kentucky State House of Representatives. A federal court convicted him in 2019 of making illegal campaign contributions to his daughter, who ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate. Biden pardoned him along with the others named.
🚨SECOND AUTOPEN DISCOVERED🚨
We have found that there was a second frequently used autopen signature for President Biden on pardons and commutations.
https://x.com/OversightPR/status/1900293836628238419
The Biden White House issued 51 clemency warrants in 4 years. 4,245 people received clemency during the Biden Administration.
This includes 37 of the most brutal murderers on federal death row, a person who murdered two FBI agents, people who provided military support to Iran, Dr. Fauci, General Milley, the J6 Committee, members of the Biden family, and hundreds of drug dealers. Every warrant in this group was signed with an autopen.
Here are the stats on the 51 warrants:
16 were signed with Autopen A
16 were signed with Autopen B
19 appear wet signed.
Note the subtle differences between Autopen A and B. Autopen A has a bigger space between the "p" and "h" in "Joseph" than Autopen B. There are also subtle differences in the "B" in "Biden" and how the word "Jr." is written.
Blown up images of Autopen A and Autopen B are in the next tweet.
https://x.com/OversightPR/status/1900293838838898801
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gl8yIjTXMAAvJcS?format=jpg&name=medium
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gl8yIjNWUAAQV6R?format=png&name=900x900
Last night President Trump announced his decision, on Truth Social:
The “Pardons” that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen. In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them! The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden. He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime. Therefore, those on the Unselect Committee, who destroyed and deleted ALL evidence obtained during their two year Witch Hunt of me, and many other innocent people, should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level. The fact is, they were probably responsible for the Documents that were signed on their behalf without the knowledge or consent of the Worst President in the History of our Country, Crooked Joe Biden!
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114175908922736427
Reaction and analysis
Media reaction was, as anyone might predict, mixed. MSNBC were apoplectic, saying President Trump is exceeding his authority – and totally excusing the autopen for official documents. ABC News posted a “stub” article about Trump’s Truth, calling the story “developing.” Fox News clarified that Trump earlier said, in an Air Force One interview, that a court would have to decide.
President Donald Trump once again displays the boldness that has become the trademark of his second administration. Trump is creating controversy after controversy, knowing that the courts decide cases and controversies, but cannot set government policy. He also knows that, if no one asks, people assume that a thing is constitutional (or unconstitutional). In fact, the opposite might be the case.
Trump wants to prosecute most of those people very badly, and one can understand why. Jerry Lundergan might “skate,” but not Dr. Fauci, Gen. Milley, or especially January 6 Committee members, staff, and some witnesses.
But this controversy will necessarily settle another: what kind of personal attention is required to authenticate an official signature? As the Heritage Foundation has said: who controls an autopen, controls the related office. If MSNBC’s fanciful standard of “modern technology” holds, no one can ever again be sure of a contract signature without personally attending the signing. Contracting parties might insist that all signings take place in face-to-face or video-streamed meetings.
A signature – especially a Presidential signature – should mean something. Trump is taking a vital action to ensure that it does.
Link to:
The article:
https://cnav.news/2025/03/17/news/autopen-pardons-invalid/
Video:
Previous article:
https://cnav.news/2025/03/11/news/autopen-conundrum/
Autopen Company landing page:
https://damilic.com/autopen-products/office-signature-machines
The New York Post article about the aide usurping authority:
Video: President Trump’s press conference:
Discovery of the second autopen:
https://x.com/OversightPR/status/1899520975156216146
https://x.com/OversightPR/status/1900293836628238419
https://x.com/OversightPR/status/1900293838838898801
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gl8yIjTXMAAvJcS?format=jpg&name=medium
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gl8yIjNWUAAQV6R?format=png&name=900x900
https://x.com/OversightPR/status/1900293840784752699
Trump announces his intention to disregard the last-minute Biden Pardons:
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114175908922736427
Declarations of Truth:
Declarations of Truth Locals Community:
https://declarationsoftruth.locals.com/
Conservative News and Views:
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