Trump asks Justice Department to investigate Democrats over impeachment threats

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Saturday he was ordering the Justice Department to examine Democratic threats to impeach members of his administration.

Trump faces a radically transformed and hostile political landscape after Democrats seized both the House of Representatives and the Senate in Tuesday's midterms.

Democrats have vowed investigations into Trump and senior members of his administration, including Attorney General Todd Blanche and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

"The Democrats are going around threatening a lot of people," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.

"This is extortion at the highest level, and they should be held accountable," he said, arguing that there had been "no impeachable acts committed."

Trump said he was ordering the Justice Department to "look into this criminal act" and said "imprisonment should be against these EXTORTIONISTS."

With control of committees in both chambers, Democrats can summon officials, demand documents and hold public hearings, potentially putting Trump and his senior aides under intense scrutiny.

Likely subjects include the Trump family's business and cryptocurrency dealings, government contracts involving billionaire Elon Musk, cuts to federal agencies, immigration enforcement and the conduct of the Iran war.

"Lawyer up," wrote incoming House Oversight Committee chairman Robert Garcia on X as the results became clear on election night.

Democrats have also signaled interest in the handling of files relating to notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The administration could resist demands for testimony or documents, triggering court battles.

Democrats could pursue Trump's third impeachment, though party leaders have not committed to doing so.

The House needs only a simple majority to impeach, but removing a president requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate – far beyond the party's numbers.--AFP