Autopen or President? Trump's Latest Move Questions Biden's Legitimacy

U.S. President Donald Trump appears to have reached a new low in his efforts to discredit his predecessor, Joe Biden. In an official video released by the White House, the "Presidential Hall of Fame" in the West Wing was revealed to display portraits of all U.S. presidents, except for Biden. In place of Biden's photo, an image of an autopen machine was used, a move meant to humiliate the former president and a bitter political rival.

This act of mockery is a direct reference to Biden's own admission that he used an autopen machine to sign pardons for prisoners. The move is part of a broader, sustained effort by Trump to tarnish Biden's legacy and reinforce the narrative that the former president was unfit for office.

Trump's actions seem to challenge the legitimacy of Biden's presidency, particularly his final acts in office. Biden had granted pardons to members of the investigative committee for the January 6, 2021, Capitol events, and admitted in a New York Times interview that he had used an autopen for the signatures. Trump has since argued that these and other presidential documents signed by Biden may be invalid.

The use of autopen machines by presidents has been a source of controversy before. In 2011, President Obama faced criticism for using one to sign a bill into law. However, a 2005 Justice Department memo clarified that a president can legally authorize an employee to operate such a device, as long as the president made the decision themselves.

In a July interview with the New York Times, Biden defended his use of the autopen, stating he made the decisions himself and only used the machine "because of the large number of documents."

In March, Trump had commented on the matter, saying, "I never use it [an autopen]. Maybe we'll use it to send a letter to a little kid because it's nice. But to sign pardons? That's embarrassing."