Congressional Power Turns on Trump Deals and Donors

Democrats will use their control of both chambers of Congress to investigate the Trump family’s business deals and major corporations, putting congressional oversight to work after Tuesday’s midterm elections. Their leaders say corruption will become central to their 2028 campaign for the White House, as they frame the probes as both scrutiny of the administration and a contest for political advantage.

Subpoenas, Then the Campaign

“LAWYER UP,” U.S. Representative Robert Garcia, set to become chairman of the House Oversight Committee, posted on X late Tuesday. An hour later, Senator Ron Wyden, expected to lead the Senate Finance Committee, wrote, “Subpoenas.” U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez sent several Trump administration officials a warning: “Clear your schedule.”

On Wednesday, Democratic committee leaders began laying out investigations of the administration and major corporations. Wyden said he plans to scrutinize agreements between the Trump administration and pharmaceutical companies on drug pricing. The administration denied wrongdoing and pushed back against the expected investigations.

Democrats have opted for investigations instead of moving immediately to impeach Trump, Reuters previously reported. Their new congressional majority gives them investigative powers, but their political ambitions extend beyond committee rooms: leaders plan to make what they call corruption central to their 2028 campaign. The oversight agenda and the electoral contest are arriving together.

Tech CEO and Republican mega-donor Elon Musk, Trump's sons, and other Republican donors and contractors will likely face probes that could dominate the second half of Trump's term, Reuters reported, citing interviews with about a dozen lawyers, members of Congress, congressional aides and political consultants. A representative for Musk didn't respond to a request for comment. A representative for Donald Trump Jr. declined to comment, while a representative for Eric Trump didn't respond.

Who Pays, Who Gets Scrutinized

Voters have raised concerns about the cost of living as the parties prepare to clash over investigations. In a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted nationwide from Thursday of the previous week through Monday, 48% of registered voters said the cost of living was the top issue determining their vote. Analysts said Democrats must balance efforts to expose what they call unprecedented corruption under Trump with voters’ concerns about higher prices for consumer goods and gasoline.

An August Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 69% of Americans thought Trump's private business interests were influencing his presidential decisions. Those interests include his family's crypto and real estate deals, according to the article. The poll records public concern; it doesn't establish wrongdoing.

Lawyers and congressional aides said Democrats will need to avoid getting bogged down in litigation with a combative White House and keep their coalition together. “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,” said Kimberly Hamm, a lawyer with Morrison Foerster. Hamm said the House, which will likely move faster than the Senate, should make narrow requests and strategically limit potential White House objections.

The Limits of the Oversight Machinery

Corporations are targets because they can't claim executive privilege to protect their activities, unlike the White House, though lawyers said the White House could step in and claim the privilege for them. Winning the Senate gives Democrats a “broader field,” said Mike Fragoso, a lawyer with Torridon Law. “But there's only so much time in the day and time in a Congress,” he said. “The question is how willing and able they will be to pick their targets and focus on them.”

Democrats are also weighing political calculations. Sarah Longwell, a former Republican strategist and longtime Trump critic, said the party would focus on tying alleged corruption to the administration and the Republican Party, and could investigate how Republicans handled information about the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. “Even if it's more political theater than anything else, any time we're talking about Epstein, Trump's popularity is suffering,” she said.

Republican consultant Ron Bonjean warned Democrats risk “overplaying their hand.” He added that voters care about affordability and that a short legislative majority could follow if investigations overwhelm the legislative agenda. A White House spokesperson called the investigations “sham investigations and radical left policies.” A second White House official, speaking anonymously, said: “They should be reminded that we still control the federal government and all of its powers.”