On June 4, U.S. President Donald Trump called for an investigation of the behavior in office of former President Joe Biden, claiming that Biden's staff covered up his decline in mental faculties and illegally employed an autopen in signing executive orders, based on an AP report.
"Such conspiracy is one of the most sinister and alarming scandals in the history of America," Trump stated in a memo, asserting Americans were "shielded" from learning who was actually wielding executive power.
Trump tasked Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House counsel David Warrington with conducting the investigation. Trump produced no evidence for his assertions, and Biden's pardon power is still constitutionally absolute. The use of autopen—a well-established practice for decades by Democratic and Republican administrations alike—has been known for years to be legally valid.
Biden responded:
"Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn't is ridiculous and false."
The action marks a ramp-up in Trump's attacks on political foes, particularly Biden, whom Trump lost to in 2020—a loss Trump continues to falsely insist was rigged.
Trump has specifically denounced Biden's eleventh-hour pardons of his two siblings and sister, and of a number of members of the January 6 congressional inquiry committee, as an attempt to protect Trump-era allies from legal repercussions.
In addition, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) called for testimony from five former top Biden aides, including Mike Donilon, Anita Dunn, and Ron Klain, accusing them of assisting in hiding Biden's purported lack of fitness for office. Comer also threatened the issuance of subpoenas if others, including Biden's doctor Kevin O'Connor and former top aides such as Neera Tanden, did not cooperate.
"Those five former senior advisors were firsthand witnesses to President Biden's state of mind," Comer said. "They need to give honest testimony about who was in charge."
Democrats brushed off the inquiry as political theater.
"Chairman Comer had his moment… to impeach Joe Biden and it was… a spectacular flop," Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said. "Now he's just living off of a spent dream."
The probe centers on the last few months of Biden's presidency, with Republicans referencing Original Sin—a book by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson—as proof. The book alleged,
"Five people were running the country, and Joe Biden was at best a senior member of the board."
The book has been branded fiction by Biden's family, with granddaughter Naomi Biden dubbing it,
"Political fairy smut for the permanent, professional chattering class.
Biden himself dropped out of the 2024 race after a highly criticized debate outing where he was unable to present himself clearly. Vice President Kamala Harris stood in his place but was defeated by Trump in the election.
Read also| Imran Khan Accuses Army Chief Asim Munir of Inappropriate Conduct Involving His Wife
