Democrats Outline Oversight Agenda Should They Gain Control of Congress in 2026
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Democratic lawmakers plan to pursue investigations into Trump-related business dealings, IRS settlements, crypto profits, defense contracts, immigration contracts and private-credit regulation if they win control of the House and Senate in the 2026 elections.
Democratic members of the House and Senate have outlined a series of oversight initiatives they would prioritize if they secure majorities in both chambers after the 2026 midterms. Committee leaders said they will focus on alleged conflicts of interest involving President Donald Trump and his family, including requests for documents on Kushner’s private-equity firm Affinity Partners and the $400 million Qatar-gifted plane used by Trump.
The House Ways and Means Committee’s top Democrat, Richard Neal, and Representative Jamie Raskin have asked the Treasury Department for records related to a May 2024 Justice Department settlement that barred the IRS from auditing Trump-related tax returns. In the Senate, Finance Committee ranking member Ron Wyden and a group of twelve Democrats have called for a bipartisan probe of the same settlement, and have sought clarification from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on whether the audit immunity remains in effect.
Democrats are also targeting the former president’s cryptocurrency and betting-market activities. Senators Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal and others have requested information on Trump-linked crypto ventures that generated more than $1.2 billion, and House Financial Services Committee chair Maxine Waters has proposed legislation to recover those proceeds. A joint letter to prediction-market firms Kalshi and Polymarket asked whether they intend to rely on the IRS settlement for audit protection.
In the defense arena, lawmakers such as Representative Jason Crow and Senators Warren, Blumenthal and Andy Kim have asked the Pentagon for details on contracts awarded to companies tied to Trump Jr.’s venture firm 1789 Capital, including a $12.8 million drone contract with Unusual Machines. The inquiries also seek to determine whether loan arrangements involving the firm Vulcan Elements were competitive.
Immigration-related contracts are another focus. Raskin, Warren and a coalition of more than fifty Democrats wrote to companies involved in the Department of Homeland Security’s warehouse-detention plan, requesting profit margins, lobbying disclosures and any contributions to the Trump campaign. The plan, projected to cost $38.3 billion, aims to house up to 100,000 detainees by November.
Should Democrats take control of the Senate, Elizabeth Warren, as the likely chair of the Banking Committee, intends to tighten oversight of the private-credit market. She has asked the Treasury and the SEC for stress-test results and has urged rating agencies to review inflated credit ratings.
Political leaders acknowledge that impeachment could reappear as a possibility, though its pursuit remains uncertain. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats would consider all options, while Republican leaders have warned of an immediate impeachment attempt if the chamber flips.