Lawmakers cited a New York Times investigation saying the administration has provided or is considering more than $8.9 billion for companies with family financial links.
Democratic senators are seeking records on more than a dozen U.S. critical mineral deals that they say could benefit the families of President Donald Trump or Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. In letters sent Friday to the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy and Interior, as well as the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the lawmakers said the federal government is working on deals with at least 14 companies that have financial ties to the Trump or Lutnick families. They cited a June New York Times investigation that said the administration has provided or is considering providing more than $8.9 billion in funding to those companies. Senators Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Adam Schiff of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said investments tied to critical minerals should be decided on the merits and without conflicts of interest. In a separate letter, Schiff and Blumenthal also asked about White House involvement in the Pentagon's selection of startup Vulcan Elements for a $620 million loan after a May ProPublica investigation reported that Donald Trump Jr.'s financial firm 1789 Capital had invested in the company before the deal.