Democrats set to investigate Trump's energy deals

Democrats gain power to investigate

When Congress convenes in January, Democrats will control committees and wield subpoena power to compel testimony and document disclosure from Trump administration officials.

Energy deals face scrutiny

Democrats have pressed the White House for months on the legality of its intervention in Venezuela's oil sector, cancellation of renewable energy projects and conflict of interest concerns in minerals deals.

Iran war and fuel prices

Crude oil prices fell sharply as markets expected Trump to cut a deal with Iran. Vice President JD Vance blamed the Republican loss directly on the war, which has hiked fuel prices.

Democrats plan war powers resolution

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats will end the Iran war and pass a war powers resolution, though Trump will almost certainly veto it.

“end this reckless and costly war of choice that has skyrocketed gas prices all across the country”

Venezuela oil deal questioned

Washington seized control of Venezuela's oil exports in January after ousting former President Nicolás Maduro.The Pentagon took a stake in North American Blue Energy Partners, or NABEP, supposedly giving the U.S.

Democrats demand Venezuela accounting

Democratic lawmakers have pressed the Trump administration for months to provide Congress with an accounting of how Venezuela's oil revenues have been spent, to no avail.

Critical minerals conflict concerns

Democrats raised conflict of interest concerns over Trump administration deals in the critical minerals sector, pointing to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's involvement with Cantor Fitzgerald in multiple deals.

Lutnick dismisses allegations

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CNBC in September that when you do nothing wrong, you do not worry about it.He called Democratic concerns a waste of time trying to create something that does not exist.

“when you do nothing wrong, you don't worry about it and you don't care”

Cancelled renewable energy projects

The Trump administration cancelled nearly eight billion dollars of energy projects in states that supported Vice President Kamala Harris in the two thousand twenty four presidential election.

TotalEnergies offshore wind deal

The Interior Department paid TotalEnergies nearly one billion dollars to cancel an offshore wind project and stop investing in similar projects in the U.S. in the future. Total agreed to invest in natural gas instead.

Democrats launch wind power investigation

Rep. Jared Huffman and Rep. Jamie Raskin called the TotalEnergies deal unlawful and launched an investigation in April into the administration's efforts to kill offshore wind power in the U.S.