Democrats are gearing up to turn the tables on President Trump's Washington, D.C., renovation spree if they reclaim control of Congress in the upcoming midterms. Winning either chamber would grant them subpoena authority and the power to demand documents, opening a new front in their oversight battles with the administration.
For two years, the party has been largely shut out of meaningful oversight, with Republicans controlling both the House and Senate. Representative Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, told The Hill that a Democratic majority would finally allow them to make up for what he called "two years of zero oversight by this feckless MAGA Congress." He added that they would also need to address issues that arise on their watch.
The focus is on a series of high-profile projects championed by Trump, including renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a proposed arch near Arlington National Cemetery, and a new White House ballroom. These projects have drawn criticism for being rushed and for using no-bid contracts, a process that bypasses competitive bidding. The New York Times reported that some contracts included inflated profit margins for the chosen firms.
Huffman did not mince words, describing the no-bid deals as having "the stench of corruption and self-dealing and incompetence." He pledged to "shine a bright light" on the administration's actions, arguing that transparency alone could have a "sanitizing effect." But he also acknowledged that real accountability would require more than just exposure—"where rules were broken, we will need to complete this work to really have that full accounting."
However, the congressman conceded that with Trump still in the White House, any findings of wrongdoing would face limits. "A criminal referral to Todd Blanche at DOJ is kind of comical, but we'll see," Huffman said, referring to the attorney general. "We'll certainly weigh all our options."
Democrats also plan to challenge the legality of the Arlington arch, which they argue requires specific congressional authorization and had a truncated public comment process under historic preservation laws. Representative Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), who would chair the Appropriations subcommittee overseeing the Interior Department, said she intends to hold more public hearings on Trump's use of public lands. She criticized the administration for shifting funds from national parks to what she called "vanity projects."
The White House has pushed back, with spokesperson Davis Ingle calling the investigations "obstructionist and conducted in bad faith." Ingle insisted that all of Trump's projects "have been flawlessly executed to protect, safeguard, and honor our Nation." Interior Secretary Doug Burgum also defended the no-bid contracts, citing the need for urgency to prepare the capital for the nation's 250th birthday.
Beyond the renovation projects, Democrats are eyeing Freedom 250, a public-private partnership that has sponsored events like an IndyCar race on the National Mall. The group's donors include major corporations such as ExxonMobil, Oracle, and Lockheed Martin, raising questions about corporate influence in presidential initiatives.
As the midterm elections approach, the possibility of a Democratic takeover is increasingly plausible, with some models giving them a 96% chance of winning the House. A victory would not only shift the balance of power but also open a new era of investigative scrutiny on Trump's dealings in the nation's capital.
