Major US technology companies and billionaires who cultivated close ties with President Donald Trump are bracing for congressional investigations into their business practices, political influence and dealings with his administration, as Democrats prepare to scrutinize some of the most controversial decisions of his presidency.

According to The Washington Post, Democratic lawmakers are preparing to make Apple, Meta and companies associated with billionaire Elon Musk among their first targets once they take control of both chambers of Congress.

Among the issues under scrutiny is Trump's reported use of Musk's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, in planning the illegal attack to kidnap Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Lawmakers are also examining Apple's hosting of tracking applications used by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as well as Meta's demands that local governments sign nondisclosure agreements over data center developments.

The investigations are expected to examine a broader pattern of corporate access and influence that has taken shape during Trump's second term, as some of America's wealthiest executives have moved closer to the White House while their companies pursue lucrative business opportunities and government contracts.

Technology billionaires and corporate executives have repeatedly appeared alongside Trump at White House gatherings, contributed to his proposed ballroom project and presented him with gifts.

Members of the Trump family, meanwhile, have invested in numerous companies, including firms that have gone on to receive billions of dollars in government funding.

Democrats win control of Congress after US midterms

Democrats have taken control of both chambers of Congress, largely as a result of blowback from Trump’s failed war against Iran.

According to Bloomberg, companies including Amazon, Nvidia, Apple, Comcast, Meta and Microsoft have already received congressional inquiry letters concerning donations to Trump and members of his family.

The inquiries could pave the way for formal investigations, particularly if lawmakers uncover evidence of preferential treatment, conflicts of interest or corporate efforts to shape public policy for private gain.

Musk faces particularly close scrutiny. He donated more than $250 million to Trump's election campaign before taking charge of the administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). He later spent nearly another half-billion dollars backing Republican candidates in the midterm elections.

The growing scrutiny could expose how political access, private business interests and federal spending have intersected under Trump's presidency, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest and the influence of wealthy corporate figures over government decisions.