Watchdog group claims Biden’s climate policies may be invalid due to autopen signatures
By isabelle // 2025-05-30
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  • A watchdog group alleges Biden’s climate executive orders may have been signed without his knowledge using an autopen.
  • Power the Future demands investigations into key Biden-era energy policies, citing no public discussion by Biden.
  • Trump allies question Biden’s mental capacity to delegate authority, suggesting aides may have bypassed him entirely.
  • Critics highlight Biden’s reported unawareness of signed orders, like the LNG export pause, fueling legitimacy concerns.
  • The controversy raises broader questions about who controlled Biden’s autopen and potential shadow governance.
A pro-energy watchdog is sounding the alarm over former President Joe Biden’s executive orders on climate policy, alleging they may have been signed without his knowledge or approval using an autopen machine that replicates signatures. Power the Future, a nonprofit advocating for American energy jobs, is calling for congressional investigations into eight key Biden-era orders, including Arctic drilling bans and net-zero emissions mandates, citing a lack of evidence that Biden ever publicly discussed them. The group’s findings have reignited concerns about the legitimacy of Biden’s executive actions and who ultimately controlled the autopen mechanism during his administration. President Donald Trump and his allies have repeatedly questioned whether Biden had the mental capacity to delegate such authority, suggesting that aides may have bypassed the president entirely.

The autopen controversy deepens

Power the Future reviewed executive orders spanning Biden’s presidency, including a 2021 directive committing the federal government to net-zero emissions by 2050 and a 2023 ban on Arctic drilling. According to the group, there is no record of Biden publicly mentioning these policies, raising suspicions that they were drafted and signed without his direct involvement. "These are not obscure bureaucratic memos; these were foundational shifts in American energy policy, yet not once did Joe Biden speak about them publicly," Daniel Turner, founder of Power the Future, told Fox News Digital. The organization has sent letters to the Department of Justice, Environmental Protection Agency, and congressional oversight committees demanding transparency about who authorized the orders. The controversy stems from broader claims by Trump officials that Biden’s team relied heavily on the autopen for critical decisions, including pardons for members of his family. Trump has called these actions void, arguing that Biden lacked awareness of the documents he ostensibly approved. While the autopen has been used by multiple presidents, including Barack Obama, its deployment under Biden has drawn scrutiny due to concerns about his cognitive decline. Constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley told Fox News that legal challenges to autopen-signed documents are unlikely to succeed, noting that courts have historically deferred to presidential authority. However, Power the Future insists the issue isn’t merely procedural. The group points to a meeting in which Biden reportedly forgot he had signed an order pausing liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, a claim echoed by House Speaker Mike Johnson. "There is no evidence that Biden ordered it, directed it, or was even aware it was happening in his name," Turner said. The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project has alleged that most of Biden’s official documents bore autopen signatures, with only rare exceptions, such as his 2024 withdrawal from the presidential race. Critics argue this pattern suggests a systemic lack of oversight.

A shadow presidency?

The debate over the autopen has fueled speculation about who wielded influence behind the scenes during Biden’s tenure. Trump’s AI czar, David Sacks, accused Senator Elizabeth Warren of controlling Biden’s autopen on crypto policy, claiming she harbored a "pathological hatred" for the industry. Although Sacks later clarified his remarks were specific to crypto, the allegation underscores broader concerns about unelected officials shaping policy. The White House has not responded to requests for comment on the autopen allegations. Meanwhile, Power the Future is pushing for accountability, framing the issue as a matter of national transparency. As Congress weighs whether to investigate, the autopen controversy highlights unresolved questions about Biden’s presidency. Whether these orders withstand legal and political scrutiny remains to be seen, but the fallout could reshape perceptions of how his administration operated. For now, Power the Future and other critics are demanding answers—and proof that the president was truly in command. Sources for this article include: ClimateDepot.com WCYB.com NYPost.com DailyMail.co.uk FoxNews.com
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