Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) said Monday that Democrats would investigate President Donald Trump and members of his administration if they win back the House majority in the midterm elections.
Dean made the comments during an appearance on MS NOW’s “The Last Word,” where guest host Jonathan Capehart asked whether Democrats would examine Steve Witkoff’s role as an envoy if they retake control of the chamber.
“Congresswoman, if Democrats retake the majority in November’s elections, will they look into the dealings of Steve Witkoff in his dual role as being an envoy?” Capehart asked.
Dean said she was confident Democrats would do so, describing it as part of Congress’s responsibility to conduct oversight.
“I’m sure we will,” Dean said. “I’m sure that it is a responsible oversight that we will do.”
She then pointed to recent reporting involving Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Trump, and members of their families, saying Democrats would have to examine what she described as “corruption” inside the administration.
“You’ve seen the recent reporting around Mr. Lutnick and Mr. Trump and their sons,” Dean said. “We have to have oversight into the corruption, the cruelty, the rubble and the rot that is this administration.”
Dean’s answer made clear that, should Democrats regain the majority, investigations into Trump’s administration would likely become a major part of their agenda. Her remarks also suggested that Democrats would not limit that oversight to one figure or one issue, but would look more broadly at the conduct of Trump officials and those close to the president.
After addressing the possibility of future investigations, Dean shifted to foreign policy and described a bipartisan dinner she had just attended at the Embassy of Qatar. She said both Republicans and Democrats were invited, and that ambassadors from Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia were present.
Dean said the discussion focused heavily on the Middle East and how the region has been affected by the war involving Iran. According to Dean, the ambassadors did not want to dwell on past decisions, but instead wanted to focus on what comes next.
“And they, to a person, said, we don’t want to look back,” Dean said. “We are where we are, but we want to be responsible partners for peace, responsible partners around Israel.”
Dean said the diplomats also wanted to work from the basis of a memorandum of understanding, with two main goals: fully reopening the strait and ensuring that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
“They want to work from the basis of this MOU, number one, to get the strait open. Fully, fully,” Dean said. “And number two, to be sure that Iran does not get a nuclear weapon.”
Her comments tied together two issues Democrats are already eager to weaponize if they regain control of the House: endless investigations into the Trump administration at home and plenty of hand-wringing over chaos abroad.
