President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed to have “just heard” that all four of former President Joe Biden’s appointments to the Federal Reserve were approved by “autopen,” suggesting they are not authorized to serve in those roles.
Trump provided no evidence for the claim, which piggybacks on his repeated assertion that all of his predecessor’s documents that were signed using an autopen are invalid.
But he said he thinks it is “something we have to look into.” And the president suggested that the list of autopen-signed appointees could include Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who has faced near-constant criticism from Trump over his handling of the central bank and U.S. interest rate levels.
Trump’s comments came on the eve of a meeting by the Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee, which sets interest rates.
After reentering the White House for his second term in January, Trump for months had repeatedly pressed Powell and the Fed, without success, to cut interest rates, and lambasted them when they failed to do his bidding.
The FOMC in September made its first rate cut of Trump’s current term, and then cut them again in October. The FOMC is expected to reduce rates for a third time on Wednesday.
Trump, in his first term, appointed Powell as Fed chair. Biden reappointed Powell in 2021. The chairman’s term is set to expire in May.
Three other current members of the Fed’s Board of Governors — Vice Chair Philip Jefferson, Michael Barr, Lisa Cook — are Biden appointees. With Powell, they comprise a majority of the Fed’s board.
The autopen comments came during a campaign-style speech in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, where Trump had traveled to speak about the economy and counter Democrats’ messaging about an affordability crisis in the U.S.
“By the way, it looks — you’re gonna have to check this, please — I just heard, it could be that all four commissioners in the Fed signed by Biden … I hear that the autopen may have signed those commissions,” Trump said.
Trump interspersed his accusation with criticism for Powell, derisively calling him “Too Late” and claiming JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon had urged the central bank chief to lower rates.
“But I hear that the autopen may have signed those commissions. If they signed those commissions — now maybe I’m wrong, but we’re going to check,” Trump said.
He then appeared to address a member of his administration, asking, “Have you checked that? Are you hearing it? Who signed it? Did he sign it, or did the autopen sign it?”
“So, I don’t know. I think it’s something we have to look into,” Trump said. “They put people there that are not authorized to be there.”
Trump then said, “Would you check that, Scott?” appearing to refer to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
“Because I’m hearing that the autopen could have signed maybe all four, but maybe a couple of them,” Trump said.
“We’ll take two,” he added.