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Before the midterm elections, which were held this Tuesday, Democrats in the United States Congress were already planning how they would use their power if they obtained a majority in the House of Representatives or the Senate.
At the end of election day, they had many reasons to celebrate: a "blue wave" of victories that allowed them to recover both chambers of Congress and challenge Donald Trump in the second part of his presidency.
Control of the House and Senate would give the party the power to issue subpoenas — orders to testify or produce documents — as well as additional funds to launch investigations early next year.
Even before Tuesday's election, Democrats were weighing the possibility of investigating officials in senior positions in the Trump administration, and even the president himself.
According to sources close to the talks, staff had begun putting together a list of possible investigations and witnesses.
Here are some possible Democratic targets.
1. Trump's family and finances
Ahead of the election, Democrats had made clear that lucrative deals brokered by the Trump family's vast business empire will be primary targets of any initial investigation.
"We want to make sure that [American] taxpayer money is used sensibly and is not stolen or ends up in other people's pockets due to corruption," Suhas Subramanyam, Democratic representative from Virginia and member of the House Oversight Committee, told the BBC.
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Among the aspects that could be considered for investigation would be links between the government and corporate entities, particularly cryptocurrency companies, as well as the international businesses of the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Other issues could include the $400 million plane gifted by Qatar to serve as Air Force One and the multimillion-dollar defense contracts awarded to companies linked to the Trump family.
"What I find scandalous is not just that this government, members of the cabinet and even the president and his family have been corrupt and acted for their own benefit, but that they are so brazen and open about it," Subramanyam said.
The White House has repeatedly denied any allegations of wrongdoing.
"President Trump is focused on maintaining Republican majorities in Congress and redoubling efforts to reduce the costs (of living) for families," White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said before the elections.
"Democrats have no plans to improve the lives of the American people, only plans to obstruct and baselessly attack President Trump's common sense agenda," he added.
A White House official said ahead of Tuesday's election that the administration is "always prepared" to respond to oversight requests, regardless of who is in Congress.
2. Hegseth and the Pentagon
Democratic lawmakers have pledged to examine Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's handling of the war with Iran that began in February, including civilian casualties, ammunition shortages, spending and allegations of underprepared troops and facilities.
According to a source familiar with the talks, other topics could include attacks on vessels in the Caribbean, which the government says are aimed at stopping drugs from entering the United States.
In April, a group of House Democrats introduced, in an unusual development, articles of impeachment against Hegseth. They cited the war in Iran and accused him of "serious crimes and misdemeanors."
To initiate an impeachment or removal process, a simple majority in the House of Representatives would be enough, but to be convicted and removed from office a two-thirds vote in the Senate would be required. No cabinet member has been removed in this way.
Some experts believe that the negative publicity that would come from the congressional hearings could ultimately lead to Hegseth's firing or resignation.
"If the situation hurts the White House and becomes a liability for media attention, President Trump will likely remove those officials because he doesn't want bad press," said David Miller, a political science professor and presidential expert at American University in Washington, D.C. "In some ways, this could be a victory for Democrats."
Richard Painter, former White House ethics chief under George W. Bush, told the BBC that the decision to go to war should be closely scrutinized.
"The main problem is this: this war was never authorized by the United States Congress, and it doesn't matter who the secretary of defense is," he said.
"The Constitution states that Congress declares war," he said, and lawmakers should "call these people" to answer questions.
In a statement, Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson defended Hegseth's record, calling him a "transformational leader" who has "reduced bureaucracy, driven innovation and delivered for our warfighters."
"By every measurable indicator, the War Department is better off under Secretary Hegseth's leadership than it was before," the official said, using the administration's preferred name for the Defense Department.
3. Immigration and ICE raids
Senior Democrats, including Robert Garcia, the congressman most likely to lead the House Oversight Committee, have identified the implementation of immigration laws as a key priority for potential congressional investigations.
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These investigations could examine allegations of irregular conduct by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during immigration raids across the country.
But these investigations could prove difficult and politically complicated.
In 2024, Trump based his campaign on the promise of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, a message that resonated with many of his followers.
However, recent polls suggest that many Americans, including those who supported Trump in that election, are uncomfortable with some of the tactics used by ICE in American cities so far this year.
This means Democrats will have to maintain a delicate balance between opposing ICE tactics and appearing to dismiss broader concerns about immigration, Painter told the BBC.
4. A third impeachment attempt against Trump
Democrats are divided over whether to try to impeach Trump for a third time.
Some, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have expressed support for impeachment, citing what they see as an unauthorized war with Iran and other alleged crimes that could be subject to impeachment.
Others have called for a more cautious approach, arguing that an impeachment trial is unlikely to end with the Senate voting to remove Trump, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
It is also unclear whether the party could agree on a reason to begin impeachment proceedings.
"I can do whatever I want, if I want," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office in October, adding that he considers the impeachment attempts during his first term and the subsequent criminal cases brought against him to be "very illegal things."
In June, James Comer, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, told the Washington Sun that Democrats were "little horses who know only one trick": "Go after Trump."
For Democrats, there is no guarantee that a potential investigation will yield a meaningful result.
But Subramanyam said his efforts would send a message.
"If we don't do something out of fear of the public image, or because we don't believe it will be successful, or because they put obstacles in our way, that will be bad," he said. "Not just for the next two years, but for the next 20."
This article was originally written in English and we used an artificial intelligence tool to translate it. A BBC journalist reviewed the text before publication. Learn more about how we use AI.
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