Neera Tanden, a key former adviser to President Biden, revealed under oath Tuesday that she authorized the use of autopen signatures on official documents, yet could not identify who was ultimately approving them behind the scenes.
In a five-hour, closed-door testimony before the House Oversight Committee, Tanden described a murky process where decision memos were passed up the White House chain of command, but she had no visibility into who made the final call.
This comes as House Republicans intensify their probe into President Biden’s mental fitness and the delegation of executive authority during his time in office.
A Power Without a Paper Trail
Tanden, who served as director of the Domestic Policy Council from 2021 to 2023, testified that she had limited contact with the president, despite wielding significant administrative power.
According to sources familiar with the hearing, she confirmed that she was authorized to instruct autopen signatures, a mechanical tool used to sign presidential documents, yet remained unclear on who exactly signed off at the top.
“Ms. Tanden testified that she had minimal interaction with President Biden, despite wielding tremendous authority,” Oversight Chairman James Comer said in a statement.
“She explained that to obtain approval for autopen signatures, she would send decision memos to members of the President’s inner circle and had no visibility of what occurred between sending the memo and receiving it back with approval. Her testimony raises serious questions about who was really callfoing the shots in the Biden White House amid the President’s obvious decline. We will continue to pursue the truth for the American people.”
Tanden reportedly said that while she believed Biden was ultimately in charge, she never knew who finalized the approvals in real time after she submitted memos for autopen use.
Democrats Fire Back: “A Lie”
However, Democratic committee staffers quickly pushed back on that characterization.
A day after the hearing, one Oversight staffer in the minority dismissed GOP claims, stating, “Any other characterization is a distortion of the testimony,” and insisted Tanden had full knowledge and presidential sign-off.
“The former White House staffer received ‘written sign off [from Biden] on every executive action she presented him with,’” the official told. “To intimate that Neera Tanden said President Biden did not approve every single presidential decision and sign off on every executive action coming out of the White House is a lie.”
Tanden’s attorney, Michael Bromwich, also weighed in. “The autopen was used … only after the President personally approved the decision,” he said. “Aides at no time signed these documents on President Biden’s behalf.” He further added that Tanden was “never” unaware of who gave the final OK.
Silence on Biden’s Health — Under Oath
Tanden’s testimony wasn’t just about autopen logistics. Lawmakers questioned whether she had ever discussed President Biden’s mental fitness, especially during moments of public scrutiny like last summer’s widely panned debate performance.
Her response, according to a source familiar with her testimony? A consistent, unqualified “no.” She told lawmakers she had not spoken to anyone, named or unnamed about the president’s cognitive state during her tenure.
Calm Exit, Firm Denial
Though she declined to speak with the press before arriving at the Capitol, Tanden did break her silence after the testimony concluded.
“I just spoke with the House Oversight Committee, Majority and Minority Council. I answered every question, was pleased to discuss my public service and it was a thorough process. And I’m glad I answered everyone’s question,” she told reporters.
Asked directly whether there had ever been any attempt to conceal the president’s condition, Tanden replied firmly: “Absolutely not.”
More Depositions on Deck
Tanden is just the first in a growing list of high-ranking Biden aides now under the Oversight Committee’s microscope.
Biden’s former White House physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, has been subpoenaed and is slated for a future deposition. Republicans are also lining up testimony from Anthony Bernal, a longtime adviser to First Lady Jill Biden, former deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini, and Oval Office deputy director Ashley Williams.
Additionally, the committee has requested interviews with Biden confidants including ex-chief of staff Ron Klain and communications strategist Anita Dunn.
The investigation shows no signs of slowing, and with each closed-door testimony, the scrutiny over Biden’s decision-making and who was really pulling the levers in his White House only deepens.
