Trump orders probe into Biden autopen use calling it a White House ‘cover-up’

WATCH: Biden answers question about mental decline

Former President Joe Biden spoke at a Memorial Day service in Delaware, marking his first public remarks since announcing he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. After the event, Biden answered questions from reporters - including a question on his mental decline.

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump is escalating his scrutiny of his predecessor’s final actions in office, ordering an official investigation into President Joe Biden’s use of an autopen—a mechanical device that replicates a person’s signature. 

The move, announced in a memo Wednesday, comes as House Republicans demand transcribed interviews with five former Biden aides, claiming the administration masked Biden’s cognitive decline while allowing executive authority to shift behind the scenes.

In his memo, Trump called the situation "one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history," alleging that thousands of documents—including presidential pardons—were signed without Biden’s active input.

Why the autopen matters

Big picture view:

Presidents have long used autopens to expedite paperwork, especially while traveling. But Trump argues that Biden’s reliance on the device concealed a deeper issue: that his top aides were making decisions on his behalf during a period of diminished capacity.

Trump directed Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Counsel David Warrington to oversee the investigation. Meanwhile, House Oversight Chairman James Comer called the matter "one of the greatest scandals in our nation’s history," and has requested interviews with several former senior Biden advisers, including:

• Mike Donilon
• Anita Dunn
• Ron Klain
• Bruce Reed
• Steve Ricchetti

Comer said if voluntary interviews are not scheduled, subpoenas would follow.

‘Five people were running the country’

What they're saying:

The Republican inquiry hinges, in part, on claims from the new book "Original Sin" by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson. The book alleges Biden was not the main decision-maker near the end of his presidency.

"Five people were running the country," the book states, "and Joe Biden was at best a senior member of the board."

FILE - Former President Joe Biden delivers remarks from the White House during his final year in office. A new investigation ordered by President Trump is examining whether aides improperly used an autopen to authorize key documents during Biden’s la (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

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Comer echoed that concern, saying these aides were "eyewitnesses to President Biden’s condition" and must clarify "who was calling the shots." The book has been met with sharp denials from the Biden family. His granddaughter Naomi Biden called it "political fairy smut for the permanent, professional chattering class."

The other side:

Democrats have dismissed the investigation as political theater. Rep. Jamie Raskin said Comer is chasing a "spent dream" after a failed impeachment attempt. "It’s over. And he should give up the whole thing," Raskin said.

Still, Republican committee members remain vocal, with Rep. Brandon Gill insisting, "The American people didn’t elect a bureaucracy to run the country."

The investigation focuses on whether key actions taken in Biden’s final days—like pardons and federal rule changes—could be legally invalid. Biden withdrew from the 2024 race following a widely criticized debate performance, in which he appeared confused and struggled to articulate responses. Vice President Kamala Harris replaced him on the ticket and ultimately lost to Trump in the general election.