Trump orders investigation into Biden presidency claiming aides hid ‘cognitive decline’
President Donald Trump has ordered an investigation into former President Joe Biden’s actions as president via a memorandum asking “who ran the United States while President Biden was in office.”
The memo alleges that Biden and his aides hid his “serious cognitive decline” during the latter part of his presidency and suggested others had been making important decisions for him.
Biden responded by calling the claims “ridiculous” and “false.”
The Trump administration announced the investigation on Wednesday evening. The investigation will seek to determine if “certain individuals conspired to deceive the public about Biden’s mental state and unconstitutionally exercise the authorities and responsibilities of the President.”
By calling into question who wielded executive power during Biden’s presidency, the Trump administration appears to be positioning itself to undermine the legitimacy of his executive actions, including pardons, executive orders, and legislation signed into law.
The memo also mandates an investigation into all of Biden’s executive actions during his “final years in office, examining policy documents signed with an autopen, who authorized its use, and the validity of the resulting Presidential policy decisions.”
“In recent months, it has become increasingly apparent that former President Biden’s aides abused the power of Presidential signature through the use of an autopen to conceal Biden’s cognitive decline and assert Article II authority,” the Trump memorandum says. “This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history.”
The memorandum accuses Biden’s aides of restricting “his news conferences and media appearances, scripting his conversations with lawmakers, government officials, and donors,” and calling into question the actions taken during his time in office.
After the announcement, Biden released a statement saying: “Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false.
“This is nothing more than a distraction by Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans who are working to push disastrous legislation that would cut essential programs like Medicaid and raise costs on American families, all to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and big corporations.”
White House counsel David Warrington has been tapped to lead the investigation, with Attorney General Pam Bondi consulting.
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump foreshadowed the memo in a typically apoplectic Truth Social post.
“With the exception of the RIGGED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 2020, THE AUTOPEN IS THE BIGGEST POLITICAL SCANDAL IN AMERICAN HISTORY!!!” he wrote on his social media platform.
The announcement comes on the heels of a Reuters report that Ed Martin, the Justice Department’s pardon attorney, had told staff on June 2 that he had been directed to investigate clemency and pardons that had been granted during the Biden administration, particularly during the final days of his administration.
Democrats went on the defense within an hour of the memo’s release. Congressman Dan Goldman spoke to CNN and called Trump’s investigation an attempt by the president to distract the American public from his numerous personal and political controversies.
“The idea of focusing on President Biden is a way of distracting from Donald Trump’s efforts to completely undermine our democracy, to grift and engage in corruption, and to help out his billionaire buddies by cutting their taxes while taking Medicaid away from the American people,” he said Wednesday evening.
A recurring focus of the memorandum appears to be Biden’s use of an autopen, a device that mechanically replicates a signature.
Use of autopens is not uncommon for presidents nor is it illegal. Previous presidents, including Trump, have used the devices.
During a press briefing on June 3, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that the Trump administration was not concerned about the use of the autopen, but rather if people other than Biden were using it to sign pardons, bills, or executive orders.
“It’s whether or not the president of the United States knew it was being used, and if not, who was using it in his name, which is clearly, illegal behavior,” she said.
The implication in the memorandum is that the Trump administration may try to roll back Biden’s executive actions if it can establish that Biden was not aware — or did not have the capacity to be aware — that his signature was being used.
“Given clear indications that President Biden lacked the capacity to exercise his Presidential authority, if his advisors secretly used the mechanical signature pen to conceal this incapacity, while taking radical executive actions all in his name, that would constitute an unconstitutional wielding of the power of the Presidency, a circumstance that would have implications for the legality and validity of numerous executive actions undertaken in Biden’s name,” the memorandum says.
The House Oversight Committee is also investigating Biden’s use of the autopen, according to committee chair James Comer. Committee members have requested interviews with former Biden aides and others who allegedly engaged in the “cover-up.”
There is currently no evidence suggesting that anyone other than Biden used the autopen for his executive actions.
Last month, Jake Tapper and Axios journalist Alex Thompson released a book — Original Sin — that alleges there was an effort by Biden’s inner circle to “cover-up” the former president’s cognitive decline in an effort to present him as a viable candidate for the 2024 presidential election.
Tapper, during an interview with Piers Morgan last week, said the scandal may be “worse than Watergate”.
Among the revelations in Original Sin are claims that the former president’s aides discussed the possibility of putting him in a wheelchair, that Biden failed to recognize the Hollywood star George Clooney at a fundraiser and wanted to testify at his troubled son Hunter Biden’s trial and that Harris’s advisers believed he “f***ed” her campaign.
Former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has also hopped off the Biden train for the chance to write about him instead. The publisher of her upcoming book announced that she has left the Democratic Party and will release a tell-all book about her time in the Biden White House.
As the war drums beat, Nato’s leaders have one big problem
The relentless beat of war drums within Nato gets louder by the day. Mark Rutte, the alliance’s secretary general, added to the noise by saying “we have to go further and faster” to expand Europe’s war machine.
With the US taking a step back and demanding more from across the Atlantic, the stakes could hardly be higher.
But defence spending rising to levels seen during the Cold War means less money for health, education, policing – stuff that really matters.
It means more moolah for the perennially dodgy revolving door in defence procurement, where former government officials and politicians take lucrative gigs with defence companies and overcharge the British taxpayer for lousy military equipment.
It puts strategic decisions in the hands of generals, admirals and air marshals, who often favour their own services over the national interest, and who made a bloody mess of Britain’s efforts in Iraq and Helmand, Afghanistan.
And if the 3.5 per cent of GDP target for defence spending that Nato believes is necessary is met, then we’re all going to get poorer because taxes will go up.
It’s all a terrible idea. But the alternatives are much, much worse.
Sir Keir Starmer has said that the UK will, he hopes, spend up to 3 per cent of its GDP on defence “to make Britain safer and stronger, a battle-ready, armour-clad nation with the strongest alliances and the most advanced capabilities”.
The British prime minister gets it. He knows that Britain, and the rest of Europe, alongside Canada, have relied on America taxpayers to fund the UK’s security for too many decades.
Now there is a clear and present danger from Russia. China is manoeuvering with guile but expanding its armed forces with terrifying energy, Islamic terror remains a problem (and will get worse because of Gaza).
Climate change is driving conflicts, literally, from here to Timbuktu, and well beyond. Competition for scarce resources on a planet that mankind has poisoned will intensify.
Starmer’s problem isn’t that he cannot see the strategic dangers, nor that he is shy of waving a red flag.
His problem, shared by politicians across Europe, with the exception of Poland and some of the frontline Baltic states, is that his constituents just don’t care.
And among younger voters, the attitudes to national defence are dire. Some 41 per cent of those aged between 18 and 27 polled by The Times earlier this year said that there were no circumstances under which they would fight for their country.
Idealistic young people are the lifeblood of democracy. That 48 per cent thought that the UK was a racist nation is damning – but a sign that they’ll do something to correct this shameful stupidity.
But refusing to fight to protect the freedoms that democracy brings is a decadent complacency that enemies like Russia and China are counting on. And they are enemies, not rivals. They want our stuff, our capital, our farmland and gold with as much energy and avarice as the British harnessed to create their empire.
“We’ve unforgivably… launched a set of wars of choice, which have imposed sacrifice needlessly on young people and there’s great cynicism about this idea of collective effort to defend your country,” Sir Alex Younger, former head of MI6 told Independent TV.
“I think we’re more comfortable thinking about the army as like the England football team; they go and do their thing over there and we watch it on telly – and that can’t happen anymore,” he warned.
Sir Alex has children of fighting age.
So do I. The idea that my son and daughter, and their friends, could be called up to fight Russia banishes sleep.
If they were Ukrainian, many of the kind, clever, thoughtful and progressive young people that surround my children would now be dead.
Ukraine has sought to protect Gen Z from the worst of the war by recruiting the old folks first. For the last two or three years the average age of a frontline soldier has been 43. In Vietnam, the average dead GI was around 20.
But many of the patriotic young, those who held back the Russian advance in the early days of the full-scale invasion in 2022, who joined reconnaissance units and stopped Russian columns in their tracks with extraordinary daring, are now dead.
“We’re dying to protect your democracy,” a former computer programmer with the call sign “Grumpy”, told me in Kharkiv last year. He was one of those recce soldiers who took on Putin’s columns as part of a self-motivating unit in borrowed pickup trucks.
He stole a Russian T-80 tank, used it to destroy 14 other armoured vehicles in one night, fought in Bakhmut’s “meat grinder” engagements, and was shot through the thigh. He now leads the development of drones in the new age of warfare.
Grumpy is the sort of warrior that young people enjoy pretending to be in video games and nostalgic tales of SAS daring-do from the Second World War.
Poland is on track to spend 4.7 per cent of its GDP on defence and is expanding its armed forces and at least 70 per cent of Poles support this effort. Finland, with its long border with Russia and (like Poland) memory of what Russian troops have done in the past, makes all males serve between six and 12 months in the military.
Britain, meanwhile, is failing to even meet the tiny target of 73,000 men and women to serve in the army. The total number of UK armed forces is around 182,000. That’s about 20,000 less than the US Marine Corps.
Britain may have its problems. It is a deeply flawed nation with an inadequate democracy, hung up on class, infected by imperial nostalgia and falls short of what it could be in too many ways.
But it does have freedom. Putin’s Russia, Xi’s China, extremist Muslims, and the nationalistic far-right Christians of America don’t like or respect democracy and the liberties it guarantees.
They’re using hybrid warfare, social media, infiltration of our political elites, and outright military might to undermine what we have and, in the end, to pinch it.
Like democracy itself, more defence spending is the least bad option Britain has.
Jeremy Clarkson’s pub opening in chaos in Clarkson’s Farm finale
Jeremy Clarkson’s Farmer’s Dog pub is overrun by chaos ahead of its opening in the season finale of Clarkson’s Farm.
Series four of the formerTop Gear and Grand Tour host’s lifestyle series was released last month, with fans eager to catch up with occurrences at his Diddly Squat farm in the Cotswolds.
The TV personality made the purchase of the pub after finding success with his now-famous 1000-acre farm and accompanying shop, which is run by the TV personality’s wife, Lisa Hogan.
The 65-year-old opened the establishment in August 2024, paying less than £1m for the building, formerly known as The Windmill, in Asthall, near Burford in Oxfordshire.
The final two episodes of the series will be uploaded to Prime Video on Friday (6 June), and will show Clarkson struggling to prepare for the pub’s opening along with help from his co-star Kaleb Cooper.
Episode seven, titled “Hurrying”, sees Clarkson get his dates mixed up as he realises with shock that the August bank holiday – when The Farmer’s Dog is set to open – is a week earlier than he thought.
The show’s finale, “Landlording”, shows Clarkson and Cooper at the centre of more chaos as they have trouble hanging up the pub’s sign to show that it’s open. Photos of the series show him also attempting to hang foliage while a long queue of customers wait eagerly outside.
The name of Clarkson’s pub was inspired by an unfortunate discovery about the surrounding area. In episode four, Clarkson is shown reading through documentation received from the lawyer handling the pub’s purchase, and he learns that the surrounding Oxfordshire area is regularly frequented by people who enjoy having sex in semi-secluded public spaces.
The episode shows Clarkson discover that the entirety of the pub’s garden area is designated by the council as “a picnic site” – a detail that he said became “blurred and confusing” when he continued to read through the file.
After calling his lawyer, Clarkson is told that the site previously attracted some “unwanted and anti-social behaviour” that “might put you off eating your picnic”.
When Clarkson asked if this activity was centred around the public toilets, the lawyer said: “We have happened upon some quite interesting photographs which capture certain graffiti and certain goings-on.”
Upon inspecting the area, Clarkson discovers the activity was still going on after finding underwear strewn about in trees.
E2E International 100 list for 2025 revealed
In collaboration with The Independent, E2E is delighted to present the E2E International 100 list, showcasing the outstanding accomplishments of the top 100 global businesses headquartered in the UK. These companies have demonstrated successful expansion into international markets, achieved the strongest revenue growth over the past two years, and created a successful business model that has put them in the top echelon of international businesses.
The list was carefully compiled using comprehensive reliable data from Experian and Creditsafe, ensuring a meticulous and credible selection process that recognises only those companies with proven contributions to the international business landscape.
Our headline partner for the E2E 100 Series 2025 is Universal Partners.
Spanning various sectors and industries, from manufacturing, retail, hospitality, IT services, food and beverage, recruitment and import and export, these league tables serve as a testament to the incredible achievements of UK entrepreneurs driving global success.
Featured in the list and demonstrating extraordinary growth are:
This initiative stands as a powerful testament to the exceptional calibre of UK enterprises, highlighting their commitment to excellence, impressive revenue growth, and successful expansion into international markets. Their groundbreaking business strategies not only set them apart within their sectors but also resonate nationwide and globally.
Highlighting talent from every corner of the UK, this list highlights the rich diversity of global businesses and the monumental successes they have achieved despite navigating through the challenges of an uncertain economic landscape.
As the Founder and CEO of E2E:
“The E2E International 100 list celebrates the phenomenal achievements of UK businesses that have not only expanded successfully into international markets but have also shown exceptional revenue growth and innovative business models. This recognition underscores the resilience and ingenuity of our entrepreneurs, highlighting their pivotal role in driving the global success of the UK’s business landscape. It’s truly inspiring to see such a diverse array of talent and leadership navigating and excelling in an unpredictable economic climate. Congratulations to all the remarkable businesses featured in this year’s list!”
Andrew Morley, CRO at The Independent, added:
“We are incredibly proud to partner with E2E in celebrating the remarkable achievements of these top 100 businesses. Their success stories reflect the dynamic and resilient nature of the UK’s business community, and their ability to thrive on the international stage is a testament to their innovative spirit and dedication. This list not only honours their hard work and success but also serves as an inspiration for other businesses striving to make their mark globally. Congratulations to all the honourees on this well-deserved recognition.”
The tracks are independently compiled by Creditsafe, and Experian according to specific criteria and official data, ensuring a trusted and transparent process.
Each track is supported by our partners: Universal Partners (Headline Partner), Lioncroft, Creditsafe and Experian.
For more information and to see the full E2E International 100 2025 list click here.
To find out more about E2E, visit https://www.e2exchange.com/
Free school meals extended to 500,000 more children in England
An extra half a million children will benefit from a free meal every school day after the government announced a major expansion of the policy, which they said would lift 100,000 pupils out of poverty and put an extra £500 in parents’ pockets.
From the start of the 2026 school year, every child whose household is on universal credit will be entitled to free school meals, the government announced on Thursday.
Since 2018, children have only been eligible for free school meals if their household income is less than £7,400 per year, meaning hundreds of thousands of children living in poverty have been unable to access them.
As of January last year, nearly 2.1 million children in England were eligible for free school meals. The Department for Education claimed that the expansion will lift 100,000 children across England out of poverty.
It comes two years afterThe Independent’s Feed the Future campaign, in which we called for free school meals to be extended to all schoolchildren in England – both primary and secondary – who lived in households on universal credit but missed out on free school meals.
The latest move will be seen as a major concession to Labour MPs who are concerned about the direction of the government, with rebellion brewing over the party’s upcoming welfare cuts and calls for Sir Keir Starmer to scrap the two-child benefit cap.
The chancellor Rachel Reeves also announced on Wednesday that more people will get fuel payments “this winter” as she pledged to raise the level of the means test.
Announcing the expansion of free school meals, education secretary Bridget Phillipson said “background shouldn’t mean destiny”, adding: “Today’s historic step will help us to deliver excellence everywhere, for every child and give more young people the chance to get on in life.”
She continued: “It is the moral mission of this government to tackle the stain of child poverty, and today this government takes a giant step towards ending it with targeted support that puts money back in parents’ pockets.”
The move was welcomed by campaigners and unions, with the Child Poverty Action Group saying it will be a “game-changer for children and families”.
Kate Anstey, head of education policy the campaign group, said: “At last more kids will get the food they need to learn and thrive and millions of parents struggling to make ends meet will get a bit of breathing space.
“We hope this is a sign of what’s to come in autumn’s child poverty strategy, with the government taking more action to meet its manifesto commitment to reduce child poverty in the UK.”
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said the expansion of free school meals eligibility was a “necessary and overdue first step” that would help address child hunger in schools.
He said the current threshold, which had been unchanged since 2018, meant “hundreds of thousands of children in poverty were missing out on the nutrition they need to thrive”.
Mr Kebede added: “As teachers, our members know the positive impact of children eating and learning together – how it breaks down stigma and inequality, and ensures greater community cohesion. Ensuring that a free school meal is available to all children is the next urgent step that must be taken.”
Meanwhile, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, welcomed the move to expand free school meals to all families on universal credit, saying “no child should ever have to go hungry due to their parents’ financial circumstances”.
But he also called for auto-enrolment and wider support to tackle the broader impact of poverty on children’s education.
Children’s commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza echoed his call, urging the government to make sure every eligible child is “automatically enrolled for free school meals, rather than putting the onus on parents to sign up”.
“When children talk to me about their family lives, I am struck by how acutely aware they are of their parents’ worries and of the impact these have on their daily lives – and their education”, she said.
“That’s why we need solutions that reflect children’s experiences, reduce the shame too many have told me they feel about their circumstances, and break the link between their backgrounds and their opportunities, by giving them communities that are safe, supportive and aspirational.”
Last week, The Independent revealed that demand for help from baby banks from parents struggling to feed their children has surged by more than one-third in a year, amid record-high levels of child poverty.
New data showed that more than 3.5 million essential items were handed out in 2024, including nappies, clothes and cots – an increase of 143 per cent on the previous year.
The announcement came just hours after Sir Keir sidestepped questions over the two-child benefit cap, amid growing calls for him to lift the limit.
Critics of the policy say removing it would be the most effective way of tackling child poverty amid warnings that as many as 100 children are pulled into poverty every day by the limit.
However, it is thought the cap will not be lifted until the government publishes its child poverty strategy, which has now been delayed until the autumn.
Grilled on the policy at Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir said he is “absolutely determined” to “drive down” child poverty but declined to give further details ahead of the publication of the government’s strategy.