By Emmanuel Thomas I Wednesday, July 15. 2026
FORMER US President Joe Biden has triggered a fresh political firestorm after launching a blockbuster new book detailing the explosive “decisions he made” during his tumultuous time in the Oval Office.
But the 83-year-old’s high-profile literary comeback has immediately been savaged by critics, who joke the memoir is “brought to you by autopen”.
The bombshell memoir, titled Promise Me, America, is scheduled to hit bookshelves on November 17, 2026—just two weeks after the crucial US midterm elections.
In a polished video announcement, a defiant Biden insisted the book is a deeply personal account of his four years in power.
”It’s about the challenges we faced as a nation,” Biden declared. “It’s about the decisions I made and why I made them… and why I chose to run for reelection and why I chose to step aside.”
But the heavy emphasis on “decisions I made” has raised eyebrows on Capitol Hill, where the ghost of Washington’s most mechanical scandal continues to haunt his legacy.
For months, political rivals have mocked the former Commander-in-Chief over allegations that his inner circle ran a shadow “Autopen Presidency”.
An autopen is a mechanical device used by busy politicians to replicate their signatures on official documents.
But during the final stretch of Biden’s administration, rivals claimed the machine was doing far more than signing fan mail.
They alleged that unelected White House staffers were using the device to pass sweeping executive orders and controversial pardons while Biden’s health declined behind closed doors.
Now, as Biden prepares to embark on a lucrative national book tour, online trolls and Republican critics are having a field day.
”Will Joe actually be signing these books, or can we expect the autopen to do the heavy lifting?” one viral post joked on social media.
Another user scoffed: “I hope the autopen gets a co-author credit and its share of the royalties!”
Despite the online mockery, publishers Little, Brown and Company are expecting a massive hit. Modern presidential memoirs typically command seven-figure advances, and Biden plans to face the music with a series of high-profile TV interviews and public appearances.
He also shared a rare personal update, revealing he is currently undergoing treatment for a cancer diagnosis.
”It’s going really well,” Biden assured supporters, thanking them for their prayers.
To understand why Biden’s book has sparked such intense mockery, you have to look back at the bruising political warfare of late 2025.
In October 2025, the Republican-led House Oversight Committee dropped a highly controversial, blockbuster report titled “The Biden Autopen Presidency: Decline, Delusion, and Deception in the White House.”
Led by Chairman James Comer, the committee claimed to expose a vast “cover-up” orchestrated by Biden’s closest aides, including his personal physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor and political advisers.
The Key Allegations:
The Shadow Signatures: The committee alleged that executive actions, federal legislation, and last-minute presidential pardons were processed via autopen without documented proof of Biden’s direct, conscious authorization.
The Chain of Command: Aides admitted in transcribed depositions that the tracking of the President’s decision binder was sloppy, with some staffers admitting they did not even know who was authorizing the machine’s use on any given day.
Invalid Laws: Republicans argued that because the autopen was used without verified presidential consent, dozens of Biden-era executive orders and pardons should be ruled legally “null and void.”
Biden and his allies have fiercely hit back at the claims, calling them a politically motivated “hit job”.
In a defensive statement, Biden previously barked:
”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.”
With Promise Me, America hitting shelves this winter, the battle over who was actually running the United States during one of its most turbulent eras is about to be fought all over again—one page at a time.
