Neera Tanden, a top aide to former President Joe Biden, testified privately before the House Oversight Committee for over four hours regarding Biden’s mental fitness and the use of an autopen for signing documents. Tanden, who served as Biden’s staff secretary and later as head of the White House Domestic Policy Council, confirmed she had authorization to use the autopen from October 2021 to May 2023. She stated she was responsible for managing the president’s paperwork flow and insisted there was no misconduct or cover-up regarding Biden’s health. When questioned by reporters, Tanden firmly denied any concealment of Biden’s condition, describing her testimony as cooperative and transparent. Her testimony marks the beginning of a series of interviews, with other aides like Anthony Bernal also scheduled to appear before the committee.

The inquiry, led by House Oversight Chairman James Comer, aims to determine who exercised decision-making power during Biden’s last two years, particularly when his autopen signature was used while he was reportedly present at the White House. Former President Donald Trump has accused Biden’s staff of hiding his cognitive decline and misusing the autopen to execute significant executive actions. Trump urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate, asserting that presidential signatures carry immense legal and political weight. In a public statement, Biden dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, defending his control over all decisions made during his presidency. Trump, however, labeled the situation a dangerous constitutional crisis, claiming it undermined the legitimacy of Biden’s actions and misled the public.