Democrats clash over how to police corporate ties to Trump administration

A new report says Democrats expect to secure expansive subpoena authority over corporations tied to Donald Trump should they win the House majority. Proponents, including Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Chris Murphy, argue for thorough investigations of major tech companies and other powerful firms that may have benefited from the president’s influence. Opponents such as Representative Bill Foster and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto caution that overly broad use of investigative power could appear punitive and turn the government into a weapon of retribution.

The dispute highlights a tension over how to treat companies ranging from Meta and Amazon to cryptocurrency platforms like Coinbase and Ripple, as well as traditional firms such as Reynolds American. An anonymous former House aide suggested that donors to Trump’s proposed ballroom project, including Apple, Google and Microsoft, should also be examined. Warren stresses that only an independent inquiry can reveal the full extent of corporate corruption linked to the Trump administration.