Democrats plan probe into Elon Musk; Stephen Miller, impeachment motion against Pete Hegseth after midterm win

Democrats are planning congressional investigations into tech billionaire Elon Musk, newly appointed White House chief of staff Stephen Miller and several large companies after taking control of Congress in January, senior lawmakers said on Sunday.

The proposed inquiries will examine Musk’s role in the Department of Government Efficiency’s dismissal of federal workers last year and Miller’s involvement in President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Democrats have also indicated support for an impeachment measure against Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, while the Trump administration has said it is ready to contest the investigations.

Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said lawmakers across Congress were interested in questioning Musk. “There’s a lot of interest, not just from our committee, but from committees across the Congress to speak to Mr Musk,” Garcia told CNN’s State of the Union.

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Garcia described Miller as the architect of what he called a “horrific, unjust” immigration policy. He said Miller’s position at the centre of major administration decisions warranted congressional oversight.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, who is set to lead the Senate Banking Committee, warned that companies could also face investigations, although she did not name any. “If you’ve been making your profits by cheating American families and scamming your investors, you’d better get ready for some investigations, serious ones,” she told CBS’s Face the Nation.

The plans follow the Democratic Party’s sweeping victory in last Tuesday’s midterm elections, which delivered a historic rebuke to Republicans.

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Meanwhile, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries indicated that Democrats would support an impeachment measure against Hegseth. Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican critic of Trump who will leave Congress in January, has said he will soon reintroduce articles of impeachment against the defence secretary.

“I’m a hard yes,” Jeffries told ABC’s This Week, adding that Hegseth “has got to go”. He cited Hegseth’s oversight of the unpopular Iran war launched by Trump in February, which has contributed to a rise in fuel prices. Jeffries said he expected strong support for the resolution.

The Trump administration signalled that it was prepared to contest the planned investigations. Attorney General Todd Blanche said threats to target administration officials and allies were “not something we can tolerate in this country”.

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“If that’s what this new incoming leadership wants to do, we are ready,” Blanche said, adding that he would act as lawyer for anyone working in the administration. The incoming Democratic leadership is preparing scrutiny of Musk, Miller and large companies, alongside possible support for Hegseth’s impeachment, as the administration prepares to resist the moves.