Trump cancels 92% of Biden’s executive orders: Says they were machine-signed, lacked the former president’s approval, making them illegal.
Trump has announced the repeal of 92% of the executive orders issued during the tenure of former President Joe Biden.
US President Donald Trump has rescinded 92% of executive orders issued during former President Joe Biden’s tenure, Trump announced on social media.
Trump claimed that all these were signed with autopen (machine signature), which is illegal without Biden’s approval.
This move could affect several key executive orders by Biden, including regulations related to health, environment and artificial intelligence (AI).
He called Biden “Sleepy Joe” and “Crooked Joe” and threatened to charge him with “perjury” if he claimed to have consented to the documents.
Trump’s decision comes after the attack on National Guardsmen near the White House.
Many of Biden’s executive orders are at risk of being repealed.
Biden issued a total of 162 executive orders during his four-year term (2021-25), as well as signed hundreds of memoranda and notices. Trump rescinded nearly 80 Biden-era orders in January, upon taking office, but some key orders remain in effect. Some of these are now at risk of repeal.
- Executive Order 14087: Relates to lowering prescription drug prices in the United States. It regulates pharmaceutical companies to ensure affordable access to medicines for ordinary citizens.
- Executive Order 14096: Focused on environmental justice, which takes measures to protect poor and minority communities from environmental pollution.
- Executive Order 14110: Tightens regulations on the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI), including rules to mitigate risks and ensure ethical use.
Trump’s move could impact these policies, but experts say it will be difficult to verify the validity of all signatures on documents. It’s not yet clear who will verify these signatures.
Photo of Joe Biden signed with an autopen.
Can Trump cancel Biden’s orders?
Executive orders are orders issued by the US president that help federal agencies enforce laws or formulate policies. Under US law, any president can revoke, modify, or invalidate the executive orders of a previous president.
However, it also has its limitations, especially in matters of pardon, amnesty, and remission of sentence, which, once granted, cannot be taken back.
Trump’s main claim is based on the autopen. He claims that 92% of Biden’s orders were signed with the autopen, which is illegal without Biden’s approval. But legally, the use of the autopen is perfectly legal.
The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel stated in 2005 (during the George W. Bush administration) that the president does not need to personally sign a bill or order, provided he or she approves.
Trump threatens to charge Biden with perjury
Trump has threatened to charge Biden with perjury if he says he personally approved the autopen documents.
Perjury means lying under oath in court or in any legal proceeding. It means that a person swears, “I will tell the truth, the whole truth, and only the truth,” and then knowingly lies.
Under US law, the punishment for this can be up to 5 years in prison and a heavy fine.
Former President Bill Clinton was accused of perjury
Former President Bill Clinton was accused of perjury in the 1998 Monica Lewinsky case. Lewinsky was a White House intern. Clinton was accused of having a sexual relationship with her. However, Clinton initially denied the allegations.
In 1998, Clinton was required to testify under oath in a separate trial (the Paula Jones sexual harassment case).
When asked if he had ever had a physical relationship with Monica Lewinsky, Clinton replied that he had not.
Later, evidence emerged that Clinton was lying. He was charged with knowingly lying under oath, concealing evidence, and influencing witnesses. Clinton was fined $90,000 and barred from practicing law for five years. He also apologized on television, saying, “I made a mistake.”
Former President Bill Clinton.
Autopen has been used by several US presidents
The Autopen is a mechanical device that can accurately replicate a person’s original signature. Once it scans a signature, it can recreate it thousands or even millions of times. Several US presidents have used it.
Autopens have been used in the White House since the early 1800s , beginning with President Thomas Jefferson. Former presidents, including Trump, have used autopens to sign a large number of routine documents.
Several presidents, including Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, have used the Autopen. Trump has also used it several times. However, he says no one will use it without his approval.