Biden Dismisses Trump's Autopen Conspiracy Theory

President Joe Biden has addressed President Donald Trump's allegations that Biden's aides were secretly using an autopen to grant pardons and commutations on his behalf. In a recent interview with The New York Times, Biden unequivocally stated that he made every single decision regarding clemency, dismissing Trump's claims as baseless. Biden explained that he orally communicated his decisions to his aides, who read him a list of names and asked him what he wanted to do with each one.

According to Biden, he granted pardons and commutations to over 1,500 people serving home confinement, reduced the sentences of around 2,500 nonviolent drug offenders, and granted life without parole for 37 of the 40 inmates on death row.

Biden also claimed that he preemptively pardoned his own family members due to his knowledge of Trump's vindictive nature. The House Oversight Committee has launched an investigation into Biden's use of the autopen, with Trump and other Republicans continuing to propagate conspiracy theories about Biden's mental acuity.

Key Takeaways:

Biden categorically denied Trump's claims that his aides used an autopen to grant pardons and commutations on his behalf.
Biden stated that he was "deeply involved" in the decision-making process and orally communicated his decisions to his aides.
Biden granted pardons and commutations to over 1,500 people serving home confinement, reduced the sentences of around 2,500 nonviolent drug offenders, and granted life without parole for 37 of the 40 inmates on death row.
Biden preemptively pardoned his own family members due to his knowledge of Trump's vindictive nature.
The House Oversight Committee has launched an investigation into Biden's use of the autopen.
Trump and other Republicans have continued to propagate conspiracy theories about Biden's mental acuity, with Biden's physician treating the Fifth Amendment to a closed-door hearing.

Statistics:

1,500 people served home confinement after Biden's commutations.
2,500 nonviolent drug offenders had their sentences reduced under Biden's pardons.
37 inmates on death row were granted life without parole by Biden.
House Oversight Committee has launched an investigation into Biden's use of the autopen.

Sources:

(https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/13/us/politics/biden-clemency-interview.html) - "Joe Biden on Clemency and His Tenure" by The New York Times
(https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114175908922736427) - Trump's Truth Social post regarding Biden's pardons.
(https://www.thedailybeast.com/karoline-leavitt-walks-back-donald-trumps-rant-on-biden-pardons/) - Karoline Leavitt's statement regarding Trump's comments on Biden's pardons.
(https://www.justice.gov/pardon/commutations-granted-president-joseph-biden-2021-2025#19-Jan-2025-commutation) - Justice Department's list of commutations granted by President Biden.