Fact check: How many times did Biden use an auto pen his last year in office

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available analyses, no specific numerical count of Biden's autopen usage during his final year in office has been provided by any source. However, the analyses reveal significant patterns of usage:

The vast majority of Biden's executive actions were signed using an autopen rather than his own hand, particularly during the second half of his presidency ^{[1] [2]}. The autopen was used to sign pardons, executive orders, and other documents with increasing frequency as his presidency progressed ^[3].

Neera Tanden, former director of Biden's Domestic Policy Council, testified to Congress that she was authorized to direct autopen signatures and was responsible for handling the flow of documents to and from the President ^{[3] [4]}. She admitted to having "minimal interaction with President Biden" while overseeing this process ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks crucial context about the political controversy surrounding Biden's autopen usage. Senate Republicans are actively seeking to build a paper trail of Biden's autopen usage, framing it as a matter of "presidential incapacity" ^[3].

President Trump has directed an investigation into who ran the United States while President Biden was in office, specifically including the use of an autopen ^[2]. This suggests Republican politicians benefit from highlighting concerns about Biden's autopen usage to question his fitness for office and decision-making capacity.

The analyses also reveal that the autopen approval system was inherited from previous administrations ^[4], indicating this practice predates Biden's presidency. Additionally, the autopen was used only after the President personally approved the decision ^[4], suggesting there was still presidential oversight despite the mechanical signing.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question appears neutral but may be seeking ammunition for political attacks rather than genuine transparency. The focus on Biden's "last year in office" specifically could be designed to highlight a period when autopen usage was at its peak, potentially supporting narratives about presidential incapacity or delegation of authority.

The question's framing omits the standard nature of autopen usage across administrations and the approval processes that remained in place ^[4]. By asking for a specific number without context, the question could be used to generate alarming statistics that benefit political opponents seeking to question Biden's active participation in presidential duties.

The lack of available specific numbers in official sources suggests either that such detailed records are not publicly disclosed or that the controversy is more politically motivated than substantively documented.