US Democrats are preparing to probe possible corruption in President Donald Trump’s trade deals if they regain control of Congress in November, examining whether tariff cuts and other economic concessions were traded for gifts, investments or political favors, according to a report.

With midterm elections less than a month away, Democrats are planning a sweeping congressional oversight effort to examine how the administration selects countries and companies for preferential treatment in Trump’s trade war, Politico reported, citing lawmakers and congressional aides.

They plan to summon senior administration officials and potentially corporate executives to explain the decisions. The investigations are expected to involve Democrats on the House Ways and Means, House Foreign Affairs and Senate Finance committees and cover tariff reductions, export controls, foreign investment agreements and deals involving critical minerals and advanced semiconductors.

Several transactions have already drawn congressional scrutiny. One is Trump’s decision to reduce tariffs on Switzerland from 39% to 15% after Swiss business executives presented him with a Rolex clock and a personalized gold bar worth more than $130,000.

The timing of the gifts and tariff reduction prompted Senator Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, to demand an explanation from the US Trade Representative’s Office, raising questions about a possible conflict of interest.

Another case concerns the administration’s decision to ease restrictions on advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), months after an Emirati royal invested in a cryptocurrency company linked to Trump.

The sequence of events has raised questions about whether private financial ties may have influenced decisions involving US technology exports.

Representative Jimmy Panetta, a California Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, said lawmakers would pursue investigations alongside legislative efforts.

“There’s some low-hanging fruit when it comes to the appropriate investigations that need to be done in this administration’s pay-to-play scheme that is so prevalent,” Panetta said.

Democrats are making government accountability a central part of their campaign, linking Trump’s trade policies to rising living costs and concerns that his family and political allies have benefited financially from his presidency.

Representative Richard Neal of Massachusetts, the leading Democrat expected to chair the House Ways and Means Committee if his party wins control, accused the administration of putting private interests ahead of ordinary Americans.

“The American people have had enough of failed Republican policies that have delivered them nothing but higher costs and less opportunity while Trump’s family and friends get richer than ever off their backs,” Neal said.

Democrats also plan to scrutinize agreements on critical minerals, including deals with Morocco, Peru and Chile.

Anduril’s windfall from US war against Iran and Trump family’s investment ties with the arms firm

The US war of aggression against Iran war boosted Pentagon demand for autonomous and missile-defense technologies, benefiting Anduril and other firms while raising scrutiny over Trump family investment ties and the effectiveness of these systems

The administration has sought to diversify supplies and reduce US dependence on China, but the texts of several agreements have not been made public, prompting concerns about transparency and the lack of meaningful congressional oversight.

The White House has rejected the Democrats’ criticism, accusing them of focusing on investigations instead of proposing their own trade policies. Administration officials maintain that Trump’s trade deals are intended to reduce the US trade deficit, revive domestic manufacturing and improve conditions for American workers.

The planned investigations come amid widespread public concern about Trump’s financial interests and whether he has used the presidency to enrich himself.

An Associated Press/NORC poll published on October 13 found that 41% of Americans believe Trump has profited from the presidency through illegal activity, while another 18% consider his conduct unethical but not illegal.

The survey also found that 56% believe Trump has prioritized his own business interests “a lot” since returning to office, while 54% said he has prioritized the business interests of his friends and family to the same extent.

According to an analysis of Trump’s reported income, his revenue rose from $622 million in 2024 to $2.2 billion in 2025, his first full year back in the White House.