How many executive orders did Joe Biden sign in 2024 and which ones used an autopen?

1. The hard count: 19 executive orders in 2024

The Federal Register’s compilation for 2024 lists 19 executive orders issued by Joseph R. Biden, Jr., numbered EO 14115 through EO 14133 ^[1]. That official tally is the baseline for any further inquiry into the provenance of signatures and the legal status of those instruments ^[1].

2. What an autopen is and how it has been used historically

News accounts and experts note autopens are mechanical signature-reproduction devices long used by presidents to affix signatures when physically unavailable; Justice Department advice has previously treated autopen use as legally permissible when authorized by the president ^{[4] [5]}. Reporting also emphasizes that both Democratic and Republican administrations have used autopens, sometimes for legislation or routine items, and that the device’s historical use is not new ^{[5] [4]}.

3. Reporting on Biden’s autopen use: known examples, not a comprehensive list

Coverage cited by major outlets shows Biden used an autopen in at least some instances while traveling—for example, to sign a funding extension for federal aviation programs in 2024, according to CNN reporting cited by NBC — but those accounts do not map every affected executive order in 2024 ^[2]. Thus while there are specific reported instances of autopen use, available sources do not list which of the 19 2024 EOs, if any, were autopen-signed in whole or in part ^[2].

4. The political fight: claims, counterclaims and investigations

Since mid-2025, Republican officials and President Trump have declared they will nullify documents they allege were autopen-signed and have accused Biden aides of improper use; outlets including CBS, CNN, PBS and Al Jazeera document those assertions and the ensuing rhetoric ^{[6] [3] [5] [7]}. Congressional Republican investigations and committee reports have alleged autopen misuse and raised questions about authorization for clemency and other major acts ^{[8] [9]}. Independent reporting and opinion pieces note partisan motivations and that conclusions about unauthorized signatures have not been uniformly established ^[10].

5. Legal context: permissibility vs. provenance

The Justice Department’s past guidance (2005 OLC opinion referenced in reporting) has allowed autopen use for presidential signatures when properly authorized by the president; several outlets cite that precedent to question sweeping claims that autopen use automatically voids actions ^{[4] [11]}. Conversely, Republican investigators argue that if autopen signatures were used without contemporaneous, traceable written authorization by the president, legal challenges could follow; that is a factual claim under investigation rather than a settled legal outcome in the sources ^{[4] [6]}.

6. What the sources do and do not establish about 2024 EOs

Federal Register data establishes there were 19 EOs in 2024 but does not indicate signing method ^[1]. Contemporary news reporting documents autopen use in some contexts and intensifying scrutiny, but available sources do not publish a verified, itemized list tying specific 2024 executive orders (EO 14115–14133) to autopen signatures ^{[1] [2] [3]}. Therefore any claim that X number of those 19 were autopen-signed is not corroborated in the material provided.

7. Competing narratives and hidden agendas to watch

Republican investigators and President Trump frame autopen reporting as evidence of a cover-up and seek to invalidate many Biden actions; media outlets and legal commentators stress the long-standing, legally accepted use of autopens and note partisan incentives in the Oversight narrative ^{[9] [10]}. Readers should treat aggressive numerical assertions from partisan sources (for example, claims that “92%” of Biden’s orders were autopen-signed) as partisan framing unless tied to primary-document, item-by-item evidence — such evidence is not present in these sources ^{[12] [7]}.

8. Takeaway and next steps for verification

The concrete facts in the record: 19 executive orders in 2024 ^[1]. The disputed facts — which of those, if any, were signed by autopen without proper authorization — remain the subject of political claims and investigations; the sources provided do not contain a definitive, sourced checklist linking specific 2024 EOs to autopen signatures ^{[1] [2] [3]}. For conclusive answers, request release of contemporaneous White House signing logs, internal authorization memos, or a department-level legal opinion tied to each contested document — items that are not in the current reporting (not found in current reporting).