Trump launches probe into alleged cover-up of Biden’s health issues

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump directed an inquiry into what Republicans allege was a "conspiracy" to conceal President Joe Biden's cognitive decline while in office.

Biden strongly condemned the investigation, which represents the latest effort by Trump supported by Republican lawmakers and conservative media to undermine his successor’s credibility.

At the same time, an increasing number of Democrats have started to openly recognize that the former president may have experienced mental deterioration in recent years.

Concerns about Biden’s cognitive abilities were highlighted during last year’s presidential debate, where the then-81-year-old frequently struggled to find his words and lost his train of thought.

A presidential memorandum released Wednesday claims, “In recent months, it has become increasingly clear that President Biden’s aides misused the authority of Presidential signatures by employing an autopen to hide signs of his cognitive decline.”

The document describes the alleged cover-up as “one of the most serious and alarming scandals in American history,” asserting that the public was deliberately kept in the dark about who was actually exercising executive power while Biden’s signature was used on thousands of documents to push through significant policy changes.

Biden strongly rejected the accusations.

“Let me be clear: I have made the decisions throughout my presidency whether on pardons, executive orders, legislation, or proclamations,” he stated in a message to AFP.

He called the investigation “ridiculous and false,” criticizing it as “nothing more than a distraction by Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans aiming to advance harmful legislation.”

Republicans have long argued that Biden is experiencing cognitive decline, despite the White House moving forward with significant legislation and executive actions during his tenure.

They point to his limited public appearances and reluctance to participate in interviews as signs of a leader unable to handle the demanding role of Commander-in-Chief.

They claim that Biden’s inner circle concealed his physical and mental deterioration, making decisions on his behalf and using a device to replicate his signature so they could continue governing in his name.

The document states that “The Counsel to the President, in coordination with the Attorney General and leaders of any relevant executive departments or agencies, shall investigate whether certain individuals conspired to mislead the public about Biden’s mental condition and unlawfully exercised the powers of the presidency.”

The investigation will also examine “the circumstances surrounding Biden’s alleged signing of numerous executive actions in his later years in office, including the use of an autopen on policy documents and who authorized the President’s signature.”

Biden’s troubled debate performance ultimately derailed his reelection campaign, prompting prominent Democrats to urge him to withdraw from the race.

However, it wasn’t until several weeks later after attempts to silence his critics failed that Biden withdrew from the race, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, who ultimately lost to Trump.

The Democratic Party has since been divided by debates over whether Biden should have stepped down earlier to allow a more popular candidate to take his place.

On Wednesday, Biden’s former White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, condemned the internal discord, calling it a “betrayal” of the president and announcing her decision to leave the party.

Tensions have been further fueled by a new book from journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, which alleges that Biden’s inner circle deliberately kept him out of the public eye due to his cognitive decline reportedly including incidents like forgetting well-known figures such as actor and party supporter George Clooney.

Trump’s accusations of a cover-up gained additional traction following reports that Biden is battling aggressive prostate cancer, with some right-wing voices claiming without proof that those close to Biden must have known about the diagnosis long ago.