Biden Defends Use of Autopen in Final Pardons as DOJ Reviews Epstein Records

Former President Joe Biden has publicly addressed his decision to use an autopen device to sign a large number of pardons and clemency orders in the closing days of his presidency. In a recent interview with The New York Times, Biden defended the move, emphasizing that while the mechanical signature was used for efficiency, he remained personally responsible for each decision.

During the final weeks of his administration, Biden issued clemency for more than 1,500 individuals—an act that the White House described as the most sweeping single-day clemency initiative by any U.S. president. Though questions have arisen regarding the use of the autopen, Biden asserted that he had been fully engaged in the policy process behind the clemency decisions.

“I personally made the decisions,” Biden said. “We were dealing with hundreds, if not thousands, of cases. The criteria were mine. The outcomes reflected my judgment.”

However, Biden acknowledged that he did not review each case individually when it came to categorical pardons. These were granted based on broad criteria developed through policy discussions within the administration. Once those standards were established, legal and administrative teams determined which individuals met the requirements for clemency.

To avoid repeated back-and-forth with updated documents and reduce delays, the president authorized the use of the autopen to apply his signature to the final paperwork. The autopen is a long-standing mechanical device that allows a replica of the president’s signature to be printed on official documents and has been used by several past presidents in various capacities.

Despite its historical precedent, Biden’s use of the autopen drew sharp criticism from Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, who questioned whether the device was used to hide a decline in Biden’s cognitive abilities.

In June, Trump issued a memo directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to open an inquiry into the extent of the autopen’s use. He alleged that White House staff may have relied on the device to carry out decisions without the full involvement of the president, possibly undermining the constitutional responsibilities of the executive office.

“Using the autopen at this scale raises serious questions,” Trump said. “Was Biden truly in command of these decisions, or were his aides pushing policy without accountability? The American people deserve to know who was actually running the show.”

He also told reporters that while the autopen had been used before, its use in matters as personal and consequential as clemency decisions should be reconsidered.

“When you’re signing something that changes someone’s life—like an ambassadorship or a pardon—it deserves a personal touch. People deserve a real signature, not a mechanical one,” Trump added.

While political debate over Biden’s clemency process continues, a separate legal battle involving the Department of Justice is unfolding in federal court.

The DOJ has confirmed it is reviewing records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as part of an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit brought by watchdog organization Judicial Watch. The lawsuit stems from multiple FOIA requests submitted earlier this year, which sought records related to Epstein’s connections, associates, and potential clients.

Judicial Watch filed the suit after both the DOJ and FBI failed to adequately respond to three separate FOIA requests. The legal group is seeking access to documents that might shed light on Epstein’s network and the extent of federal investigations into his activities.

A joint status update filed by both the Justice Department and Judicial Watch noted that the FBI has conducted initial searches and is in the process of reviewing the results. However, no documents have yet been released, and it remains unclear when the records will be made public or how much information will ultimately be disclosed.

One focus of the FOIA request is on communications involving FBI Director Kash Patel and any documents related to an alleged list of Epstein’s associates or clients. The FBI has confirmed that its search in this area is ongoing.

As pressure mounts for transparency in both the Biden clemency process and the Epstein investigation, public interest in government accountability remains high. Whether through the use of mechanical signatures or withheld records, these controversies have reignited conversations about transparency, executive power, and the limits of public trust in government institutions.