Trump's impeachment getting closer? Four investigations could shake up the White House

The US midterm elections will take place on November 3, halfway through Donald Trump's four-year term. Americans will elect a new composition of the House of Representatives and about one third of the Senate, i.e. both houses of Congress.

Taking a majority in the House or Senate would give Democrats greater power to control the president's administration. They could, among others: summon officials for hearings and demand documents. Party politicians are already preparing a list of potential investigations.

Trump family finances

One of the main goals of the Democrats is to be the business interests of the president and his family. Politicians want to check, among others: the administration's ties to cryptocurrency companies, the foreign interests of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, and defense contracts awarded to companies linked to the president's family.

Also controversial is the $400 million plane donated by Qatar, which is to serve as Air Force One.

Democrats want to determine whether there was a conflict of interest or misuse of public money in these cases. The White House denies allegations of irregularities and argues that the administration is ready to cooperate with Congress.

The actions of the Pentagon and Pete Hegseth

Another area of interest for Democrats is the activities of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Politicians want to investigate the course of the war with Iran, including the number of civilian casualties, the state of ammunition stockpiles and military spending.

US attacks on boats in the Caribbean, which the administration presents as part of the fight against drug smuggling, may also come under the microscope.

In April, a group of Democratic congressmen filed motions to impeach Hegseth. They accused him of, among other things, activities related to the war in Iran. Possible investigations could increase pressure on the minister and lead to his resignation.

ICE raids and immigration policy

Democrats also want to look into the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is responsible for enforcing immigration laws.

Investigations could include allegations of misconduct by agents during raids and detentions. However, the matter is politically difficult: Trump won voter support by promising mass deportations of illegal immigrants.

At the same time, some Americans criticize the methods used by the services. Democrats will therefore need to separate opposition to specific ICE actions from the broader debate on immigration control.

Trump's third impeachment attempt

Democrats are also considering initiating a third impeachment procedure against Trump. Some politicians, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, support this solution, pointing out, among others, for war with Iran.

Others believe caution is warranted. A simple majority in the House of Representatives is enough to impeach the president in impeachment proceedings. However, a two-thirds majority in the Senate is required to convict him and remove him from office. Democrats are not sure they will be able to gain such support, but polls indicate success.