U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered a formal inquiry into what he and several Republican lawmakers allege was a coordinated effort to conceal former President Joe Biden’s declining mental health during his time in office.

The announcement, made via a presidential memorandum on Wednesday, marks an escalation in Trump’s long-running campaign to discredit Biden one that has been echoed by Republican leaders and conservative media figures. The move also comes as some within the Democratic Party begin to openly acknowledge concerns about Biden’s cognitive abilities in the later years of his presidency.

“In recent months, it has become increasingly apparent that former President Biden’s aides abused the power of presidential authority through the use of an autopen to conceal Biden’s cognitive decline,” the memorandum reads. “This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history.”

The document further claims that Biden’s signature was affixed to thousands of executive documents, potentially without his direct input, enabling sweeping policy changes while allegedly shielding the public from the reality of who was actually exercising presidential authority.

Biden Responds: ‘Ridiculous and False’

In a strongly worded statement, Biden dismissed the allegations as politically motivated and untrue.

“Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations,” he said in a message shared with AFP. “Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false.”

Biden further condemned the inquiry as a “distraction” orchestrated by Trump and congressional Republicans amid ongoing legislative controversies.

Republican Allegations of a Cover-Up

Republicans have long argued that Biden was unfit to serve, citing his reduced public appearances, limited press interactions, and reports of memory lapses as evidence of cognitive decline. They allege that his inner circle concealed his condition, using aides and devices including the autopen to carry out presidential functions on his behalf.

The presidential memorandum directs the White House Counsel, in coordination with the Attorney General and other relevant departments, to investigate whether individuals within the administration “conspired to deceive the public about Biden’s mental state and unconstitutionally exercised presidential authority.”

The probe will examine which executive actions were signed via autopen, who authorized their use, and whether Biden’s apparent absence from decision-making was deliberately hidden from the American public.

Fallout from Debate and Internal Democratic Rift

Concerns over Biden’s mental acuity intensified following a widely criticized debate performance against Trump during the 2024 campaign, in which the then-81-year-old frequently stumbled and lost his train of thought. The poor showing fueled calls within his own party for him to step aside.

Although Biden resisted pressure to withdraw for several weeks, he eventually endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement. She went on to lose to Trump in the general election.

The Democratic Party has since been plagued by internal divisions over whether Biden should have been urged to step down earlier. Former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre denounced the infighting as a “betrayal” of Biden and announced her departure from the party.

New Book Fuels Allegations

A forthcoming book by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson has added further fuel to the controversy, alleging that Biden’s close aides deliberately limited his public exposure due to his cognitive struggles including moments of memory loss involving prominent figures such as actor and Democratic donor George Clooney.

Further controversy erupted with the recent disclosure that Biden has been diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer. While no official timeline has been confirmed, some conservative commentators have speculated without evidence that the diagnosis had been known privately for some time.

As the investigation unfolds, both parties are expected to continue trading barbs over what may become one of the most contentious and politically charged inquiries of Trump’s presidency.