Trump Targets Biden's Inner Circle in Autopen Probe
President Donald Trump is turning up the heat on an alleged cover-up of President Joe Biden's cognitive decline, zeroing in on Biden's closest aides and the controversial use of an autopen to sign executive documents. In a recent Fox News interview, Trump didn't hold back, naming key figures he believes should be hauled before the House Oversight Committee to testify about who was really pulling the strings in the White House during Biden's presidency. This probe, led by GOP Rep. James Comer, is rapidly gaining momentum, with subpoenas flying and testimonies scheduled, raising serious questions about the legitimacy of executive actions signed with Biden's autopen.
The Autopen Controversy: A Smoking Gun?
The autopen, a device that replicates a person's signature, has become the centerpiece of the GOP's investigation. While autopens are legal and have been used by previous presidents, including Barack Obama, Comer and Trump argue that Biden's heavy use of the device signals a deeper problem, that the president was not mentally fit to make decisions and that others were effectively running the show. Comer has repeatedly pointed to the autopen as evidence of Biden’s alleged cognitive decline, suggesting that the president's reliance on the machine to sign pardons, executive orders, and proclamations is a red flag that demands scrutiny.
Trump echoed these concerns during his Fox News interview, insisting that the person operating the autopen was the president but questioning whether Biden was fully aware of what was happening. He called the unfolding investigation one of the "biggest" scandals in history and singled out Biden's top aides.
Trump said, "Lisa Monaco, who was a big supporter of Andrew Weissmann [should testify]. These are people that I think are very bad people. They had radical left lunatics working there, and they took over that office. They didn't want Biden and then, after a little while, they realized he's incompetent..." as reported by Fox News.
Comer's Probe: Subpoenas and Testimonies
GOP Rep. James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, has been relentless in his pursuit of answers. Since launching the probe in 2025, Comer has subpoenaed several of Biden’s former staffers, accusing them of creating a "protective bubble" to shield the president's cognitive state from public view, as reported by the Daily Beast. The committee has targeted three former staffers and the ex-director of Biden's Domestic Policy Council, with Comer indicating that Biden's former chief of staff, Ron Klain, is a "very good bet" to be called in for questioning, as reported by the Daily Beast.
The investigation has not been without resistance. Biden's aides initially refused to testify, prompting Comer to accuse the White House of obstruction and defiance. However, the tide appears to be turning as transcribed statements from these aides are now being requested, and some have agreed to provide testimony. Notably, Neera Tanden, a senior adviser to Biden and former director of the Domestic Policy Council, recently testified before the committee after the White House counsel waived executive privilege, signaling that former Biden officials have no legal shield to avoid cooperating with the probe.
Executive Privilege Waived: No More Hiding
The decision to waive executive privilege for Neera Tanden marks a significant development in the investigation. Executive privilege, which allows presidents to keep certain communications confidential, has been fiercely defended in past administrations, including during the Trump era. But in this case, the White House counsel determined that the congressional need for information about the validity of Biden's executive actions outweighs the interest in confidentiality.
According to Gary Lawkowski, deputy White House counsel, "After balancing the Legislative and Executive Branch interests, as required under the accommodation process, it is the president's view that this presents an exceptional situation in which the congressional need for information outweighs the Executive Branch's interest in maintaining confidentiality," as reported by the New York Post.
Tanden emphatically denied there was any conscious effort to conceal Biden's mental slippage, according to the New York Post. However, a source told the Post that Tanden claimed she didn't remember discussing Biden's mental capabilities with any key administration figures between 2023 and the end of the administration.
Additionally, Tanden claimed that she didn't actually speak with Biden much during his time in office and wasn't aware about his "inner circle" vetting auto-pen approvals. Yet the anonymous source speaking to Post claimed that Tanden wrote the decision memos around those approvals.
Tanden's insights have only fueled further questions about who was truly making decisions in the White House.
The Inner Circle Under the Microscope
Beyond Tanden, the committee is eyeing other key figures close to the president. Anthony Bernal, Jill Biden's chief of staff and a powerful figure in the First Lady's office, is slated to testify soon. Bernal's role has drawn attention because of his proximity to the Bidens and his influence within the administration. Other aides, including Ashley Williams and Annie Tomasini, are also expected to provide insights, though none have been subpoenaed yet.
Comer has also expressed interest in questioning Biden's immediate family, including Jill Biden and Hunter Biden, to uncover whether they played any part in managing the president's affairs or shielding his cognitive state from scrutiny.
The Political Stakes and Public Reaction
This investigation unfolds amid a highly charged political atmosphere. Trump and his allies have seized on the autopen controversy to paint Biden's presidency as one marked by incompetence and deception. The GOP's push to expose what they call a cover-up taps into broader fears about transparency and accountability in government, reflecting a growing demand among some Americans for clarity on who truly governs the nation.
References: James Comer May Drag Biden Before Committee on Cognitive Cover-Up | Trump reveals who should testify in Biden autopen probe | Trump White House pulls executive privilege shield for ex-Biden aide testifying over Joe's mental acuity
