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Before the midterm elections, which were held on Tuesday, November 3, Democrats in the US Congress were already thinking about how they would use their power if they obtained a majority in the House of Representatives or the Senate.
At the end of the vote, they had many reasons to celebrate: a “blue wave” of victories allowing them to regain control of both houses of Congress and to stand up to Donald Trump during the second half of his mandate.
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 vote, Democrats were considering the possibility of investigating senior officials in the Trump administration, or even the president himself.
According to sources familiar with the discussions, staff had begun compiling a list of potential investigations and witnesses.
Here are some potential Democratic targets.
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1. Trump's family and finances
Before the election, Democrats made clear that lucrative deals brokered by the Trump family's vast business empire would be the main targets of any initial investigation.
“We want to make sure that [American] taxpayers' money is used wisely and is not diverted or ended up in other people's pockets because of corruption,” Suhas Subramanyam, Democratic Representative from Virginia and member of the House Oversight Committee, told the BBC.
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Among the elements likely to be investigated would be ties between the government and commercial entities, particularly cryptocurrency companies, as well as the international activities of the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Other topics could include the $400 million plane offered by Qatar to serve as Air Force One and the multimillion-dollar defense contracts awarded to companies linked to the Trump family.
“What outrages me is not just that this government, cabinet members, even the president and his family, were corrupt and acted in their own self-interest, but that they were so brazen and frank about it,” Subramanyam said.
The White House has repeatedly denied any accusations of irregularities.
“President Trump is focused on preserving Republican majorities in Congress and redoubling efforts to reduce the cost of living for families,” White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said before the election.
“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,” she added.
A White House official said ahead of Tuesday's election that the administration was "always ready" to respond to demands for oversight, regardless of the makeup of Congress.
2. Hegseth and the Pentagon
Democratic lawmakers have pledged to examine Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's handling of the war against Iran that began in February, including civilian casualties, ammunition shortages, spending and allegations of unpreparedness of troops and facilities.
Other topics could be discussed, according to a source close to the discussions, including attacks on ships in the Caribbean that the government says are aimed at preventing drugs from entering the United States.
In April, a group of House Democrats unusually filed articles of impeachment against Mr. Hegseth. They invoked the war in Iran and accused him of “serious crimes and misdemeanors”.
To initiate impeachment proceedings, a simple majority in the House of Representatives would be enough, but for him to be convicted and removed from office, a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate would be necessary. No member of the government has ever been dismissed in this way.
Some experts believe that the negative publicity that would result from the congressional hearings could ultimately lead to Hegseth's firing or resignation.
“If the situation hurts the White House and becomes a burden because of the media coverage it gets, it's likely that President Trump will fire these 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 the Democrats. »
Richard Painter, a former White House ethics chief under George W. Bush, told the BBC that the decision to go to war should be 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 says it's up to Congress to declare war,” he added, and lawmakers should “summon these people” to answer their questions.
In a statement, Pentagon spokeswoman Kingsley Wilson defended Mr. Hegseth's record, calling him a "transformative leader" who "reduced bureaucracy, encouraged innovation and met the expectations of our warfighters."
"By all measurable indicators, the War Department is doing better under Secretary Hegseth's leadership than before," the spokeswoman said, using the administration's preferred name for the Department of Defense.
3. Immigration and ICE raids
Top Democratic officials, including Robert García, the congressman who will most likely lead the House Oversight Committee, have identified immigration enforcement as a key priority for possible congressional investigations.
Photo credit, Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images
These investigations could focus on allegations of irregular behavior on the part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during nationwide raids.
But these investigations could prove difficult and politically delicate.
In 2024, Trump focused his campaign on promising mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, a message that resonated with many of his supporters.
However, recent polls suggest that many Americans, including those who supported Trump in this election, are uncomfortable with some of the tactics ICE has used in American cities since the start of the year.
That means Democrats will have to strike a delicate balance between opposing ICE's methods and appearing to downplay broader concerns about immigration, Painter told the BBC.
4. A third impeachment attempt against Trump
Democrats are divided on whether to try to impeach Trump for a third time.
Some, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have expressed support for impeachment proceedings, citing what they view as an unauthorized war against Iran and other alleged offenses that could be subject to impeachment proceedings.
Others have called for a more cautious approach, arguing that impeachment proceedings are unlikely to result in a Senate vote to remove Trump, who has repeatedly denied committing any impropriety.
It is also not certain that the party will be able to agree on a reason justifying the launch of impeachment proceedings.
“I can do whatever I want, if I want,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office in October, adding that he considered impeachment attempts during his first term and subsequent criminal charges against him to be “completely illegal things.”
In June, James Comer, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, told the Washington Sun newspaper that Democrats were "little horses who only know one trick": "go after Trump."
For Democrats, there is no guarantee that a possible investigation will lead to a meaningful result.
But Subramanyam said their efforts would send a message.
“If we don't act out of fear of public image, or because we don't think it will succeed, or because people put obstacles in our way, it will be harmful,” he said. “Not only over the next two years, but over the next twenty. »
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