Democrats who have just won majorities in both chambers of Congress are preparing investigations into companies seen as close to President Donald Trump. Early targets include Apple, Meta and businesses led by Elon Musk. House lawmakers are examining whether Trump used Musk’s Grok chatbot in planning the military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. They are also scrutinizing Apple’s hosting of tracking apps used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Meta’s efforts to obtain nondisclosure agreements from local governments negotiating data-center projects. More broadly, investigators plan to examine how corporations cultivated Trump and whether those ties helped them secure favorable treatment, government funding or contracts.
The expected probes have prompted companies and executives to seek advice from Washington lawyers, who warn that investigations will be unusually public and aggressive, with subpoenas and hearings likely. Firms are also preparing for scrutiny of business dealings involving foreign governments, while some start-ups have been urged to complete fundraising before investigations disrupt investment or Pentagon spending. Democrats see corporate inquiries as a way to uncover information about the administration even when government officials do not cooperate. The political stakes may rise further if Republicans pursue their own investigations from the minority. For executives who courted Trump through donations, gifts, White House appearances or investments, the coming oversight could become a high-profile test of how those relationships shaped corporate fortunes.
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