Trump's close ties to Silicon Valley are becoming a key avenue for investigations now that Democrats are set to regain control of Congress.

According to a November 6 report, after winning majorities in both chambers of Congress, Democrats are moving quickly to set their investigative priorities. The House has already begun preparing to examine Trump's use of Musk's AI chatbot Grok to plan a military operation aimed at capturing Venezuelan President Maduro; Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Meta are drawing scrutiny over an ICE tracking app and a local government data center agreement, respectively.

The scope of the probes could extend well beyond those three companies. The report says Democrats plan to review the most controversial business activities of major U.S. corporations over the past two years, with a focus on their relationships with the Trump administration. Since Trump's second term began, tech billionaires and corporate executives have frequently attended White House events, donated to Trump's planned ballroom project, and offered gifts; at the same time, multiple companies backed by Trump family members and Wall Street executives have received billions of dollars in government funding.

In the view of Democrats, business dealings between companies and the government could serve as an important entry point for tracing related interests. A memo from the think tank Groundwork Collaborative lists major tech companies, private prison operators, and natural gas firms as "high-value" investigative targets, citing what these companies have given Trump, what they have received from the Trump administration, and what business activities they may have participated in.

Winter Has Arrived! Corporate Executives Rush to Hire Lawyers

The investigations have not formally begun, but companies are already preparing for congressional inquiries.

Citing congressional staffers, lobbyists, venture capitalists, and lawyers familiar with the preparations, the report says several Washington law firms are offering advice to company founders and executives on responding to congressional investigations through emergency online meetings and gatherings. Multiple firms are also competing to become Musk's personal legal counsel, believing that investigations surrounding him could generate a large number of subpoenas and high-profile legal work.

Some venture capitalists have advised Silicon Valley startups to complete fundraising before the end of the year in case executives are called to testify at congressional hearings, or in case Pentagon spending adjustments affect companies' sources of funding.

Democratic lawmakers have also sent a tough signal. Robert Garcia, who is set to become chairman of the House Oversight Committee, warned relevant companies on election night to "hire lawyers"; Senator Ed Markey said tech executives will need plenty of paper ready for the subpoenas Congress is about to issue.

Washington's legal community expects that Democratic control of both chambers of Congress will increase the speed and intensity of investigations. Jamie Bair, who heads the congressional investigations practice at Crowell & Moring, said sending detailed inquiries to companies may be more effective than sending letters to Trump administration agencies because companies are more likely to respond and disclose communications with government officials.

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Meta, X, and Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Robert Kelner, a lawyer at Covington & Burling, said there is little suspense that Democrats will launch a wave of investigations, and corporate clients are hiring lawyers and setting priorities for legal protection. "We've been telling clients that winter is coming. Now, winter has arrived."