“Cover-Up of the Century?” Autopen Scandal Rocks Former President Joe Biden

In what could go down as one of the most controversial farewell acts in presidential history, reports have surfaced that Former President Joe Biden did not personally sign thousands of last-minute pardons—instead, his Chief of Staff Jeff Zients allegedly authorized the use of an autopen just before Biden exited the Oval Office.

 According to The New York Times, Zients sent a late-night email on Jan. 19, 2025, stating the following quote: 

 "I approve the use of the autopen for the execution of all of the following pardons." 

This includes preemptive pardons for top-level officials like Dr. Anthony Fauci and General Mark Milley, issued just hours before President Donald Trump took the reins of the White House once again. The Biden White House had long defended the clemency spree as necessary to protect key administration members from what they feared could be retaliatory investigations under the new Trump Administration in the White House.

But the controversy has only grown, with tons of new information coming out daily.

Trump, addressing reporters Monday, didn’t hold back.

 “He didn’t know what he was signing,” Trump asserted. “This might be the biggest scandal in 50 to 100 years.” 

The Times report further ignited tensions by alleging Biden didn’t even review the individual names after aides processed the autopen pardons. Instead, he approved broad standards, leaving the final decisions to aides.

Meanwhile, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields took a sledgehammer to Biden’s legacy, stating:

"This is the most egregious cover-up scheme in American politics. The truth will come out about who was actually running the country."

During his term, Biden granted 4,245 clemency acts, a staggering 96% of which came during his final three months in office. That timeline has raised serious red flags, particularly as Trump directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether the autopen use was linked to Biden’s alleged cognitive decline—which wouldn't be of any surprise considering the things we witnessed during Biden's term in the White House.

Autopen machines—typically used for ceremonial or routine correspondence—are not illegal, but their use for sweeping legal acts like presidential pardons is unprecedented and, for many, deeply disturbing.

🗞️ Editor's Take

The autopen drama isn’t just about signatures—it’s about legitimacy, transparency, and trust at the highest level of power. Whether you see this as administrative delegation or a deliberate deception, one thing is clear: Americans deserve to know who was calling the shots, this is our livelihood at stake. The Biden team’s silence and vague explanations only fuel public suspicion and further damage Biden's image in the history books. And, with Trump already on the offensive, this story isn’t going to just disappear, the Trump Admin is going to continue digging for more information. If the accusations hold water, we’re looking at a scandal with Watergate-level implications, stay tuned!