Democrats have seized control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives following Tuesday's midterm elections, where tens of millions of voters delivered a rebuke to President Donald Trump. The party now intends to use its new investigative powers to target the Trump family's business deals, making what they call corruption a central part of a 2028 campaign for the White House.
On Tuesday, US Representative Robert Garcia, who is set to become chairman of the House Oversight Committee, posted "LAWYER UP" on X. An hour later, Senator Ron Wyden, who is expected to lead the Senate Finance Committee, wrote "Subpoenas." Additionally, Representative Delia Ramirez posted a message addressed to several Trump administration officials, including Noem, Markwayne, Miller, Homan, and Bovino, stating, "Clear your schedule."
Democratic committee leaders began outlining an oversight agenda on Wednesday that targets both the Trump administration and major corporations. Wyden stated he plans to scrutinise agreements between the Trump administration and pharmaceutical companies regarding drug pricing.
The Trump administration has denied any wrongdoing and pushed back against the probes on Wednesday. White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said, "If Democrats choose to pursue sham investigations and radical left policies, they are choosing to work against the American people." Another White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told reporters, "They should be reminded that we still control the federal government and all of its powers."
According to Reuters interviews with approximately a dozen lawyers, members of Congress, congressional aides, and political consultants, investigations could dominate the second half of Trump's term. Potential targets include Tech CEO and Republican mega-donor Elon Musk, Trump's sons, and various other Republican donors and contractors. A representative for Musk did not respond to a request for comment. A representative for Donald Trump Jr. declined to comment, while a representative for Eric Trump did not respond to a request for comment.
Lawyer Rachel Cotton, a congressional oversight specialist at the Arnold & Porter law firm, told Reuters that Democrats have opted for investigations rather than trying to impeach Trump immediately, noting, "We expect a huge volume of aggressive and expansive investigations that will target both the administration and the private sector."
Former Republican strategist and Trump critic Sarah Longwell said Democrats will be less concerned with Trump himself and more about tying corruption to the whole administration and the entire Republican party. She added that part of the aim will be to erase a political path for Trump administration officials. Longwell also suggested Democrats could benefit from probing how Republicans handled information around the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, stating, "Even if it's more political theatre than anything else, any time we're talking about Epstein, Trump's popularity is suffering."
Senate Democrats are gearing up to investigate JPMorgan Chase’s banking relationship with Epstein once they take control of Congress early next year.
However, some observers warn of risks. Republican consultant Ron Bonjean said Democrats risk overplaying their hand, noting that voters are more concerned about affordability. Bonjean stated, "If the vengeance that Democrats are seeking overwhelms their legislative agenda, then they're likely to have a very short legislative majority." A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted from last Thursday through Monday found that 48% of registered voters said the cost of living was the top issue determining their vote. Conversely, an August Reuters/Ipsos poll showed 69% of Americans believed Trump's private business interests were influencing his presidential decisions.
Lawyers and congressional aides say Democrats must avoid getting bogged down in litigation with a combative White House and keep their coalition in line. Lawyer Kimberly Hamm with Morrison Foerster said, "There will be a lot of pressure on Democrats to issue subpoenas early. But the juice has to be worth the squeeze for whatever they decide to litigate." Hamm suggested the House should be narrow in its asks to limit White House objections.
Lawyer Mike Fragoso with Torridon Law noted that while winning the Senate gives Democrats a "broader field," there is only so much time in a Congress. He stated the question is how willing and able they will be to pick and focus on their targets.
