US President Donald Trump has ordered a formal investigation into Joe Biden’s actions as president, claiming that his aides covered up Biden’s ‘cognitive decline’ and used autopen signatures to authorise executive actions without his direct involvement.
An autopen is a device that replicates a person's signature.
The probe was announced via a presidential memorandum, describing the alleged concealment as "one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history."
It asserted that the American public was misled about who was exercising executive power.
The investigation aims to scrutinise the use of the autopen and identify those responsible for its deployment.
This move follows Biden's recent announcement of his diagnosis with stage four prostate cancer, which has intensified scrutiny over his health.
Republicans have long questioned Biden's age and mental acuity, citing instances of verbal missteps and limited public appearances as evidence of decline.
Trump, who turns 79 this month, is not much older than Biden and has previously also been questioned regarding cognitive decline.
The investigation is expected to bolster GOP efforts to challenge the legitimacy of decisions made during Biden's tenure, including pardons and executive orders issued in his final days in office.
In response, Biden dismissed the allegations as "ridiculous," stating, "I made the decisions during my presidency... Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false."
The House Oversight Committee, led by Republican Representative James Comer, has initiated inquiries into Biden's top aides, seeking testimony regarding his mental and physical faculties.
Additionally, a separate Justice Department inquiry is examining clemencies issued by Biden, including those to family members and death row inmates.
The investigation is evidence of escalating political tensions as the 2026 midterm elections approach, with both parties leveraging health and competency narratives to influence public opinion.
