House Democrats Launch Probes Into Trump Intelligence and Energy Policies
House Democrats plan investigations into the politicization of intelligence agencies, aggressive covert operations in Venezuela, and the management of energy sector activities following midterm election victories.
Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives are preparing wide-ranging investigations into the administration of Donald Trump following their victory in the November 3 midterm elections. Led by incoming House Intelligence Committee Chairman Jim Himes, the probes will examine the alleged politicization of spy agencies, specifically focusing on the retaliatory firing of analysts who produced reports inconsistent with White House views on topics such as Venezuela.
Himes intends to scrutinize the expansion of aggressive covert operations under CIA Director John Ratcliffe, including drone strikes and clandestine activities in Venezuela. The committee will also investigate workforce reductions under former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who cut staff by 40%, and Ratcliffe, who pledged to reduce his workforce by over 1,000 positions. Additionally, Himes plans to probe millions of dollars in donations from defense and intelligence contractors to Trump's construction projects in Washington, D.C.
Parallel to the intelligence probes, Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced in New Orleans that he welcomes investigations into the administration's energy agenda. These inquiries, led by the House Oversight Committee, will focus on the rollback of clean energy policies and the management of Venezuelan oil revenue. While former chief of staff Alexa Henning defended Gabbard's tenure as a mandate to root out corruption, Himes cited evidence of declining morale and self-censorship among the analytic community.
