Congressional Oversight Committees Investigate Trump-Era SEC Leadership Appointments

As of April 2025, bipartisan congressional watchdogs have launched formal inquiries into former President Donald Trump’s appointments to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) leadership during his administration. The probes focus on potential regulatory overreach, conflicts of interest, and the SEC’s enforcement record during the cryptocurrency market boom of 2020-2024. Investigators are particularly examining whether political considerations influenced the SEC’s approach to digital asset regulation during a period of unprecedented growth in decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystems.

Trump’s crypto ventures cause corruption concerns

Chief among the concerns are Trump’s various crypto ventures, frequently a target of congressional Democrats. For one, House member Maxine Waters has accused Trump of using his power to become “crypto king.”

Waters stated that Trump was using his power to promote both his Official Trump (TRUMP) and his World Liberty Financial firm to enrich himself. She claimed that Trump made $2 billion from his various crypto ventures, at the expense of ordinary investors.

Together with Senator Elizabeth Warren, Waters also raised concerns over corruption. Waters and Warren explained that WLFI presents an opportunity for foreign-owned crypto firms to trade their crypto for influence on US politics. For instance, she referenced TRON Founder Justin Sun’s entry into WLFI as an advisor, after a $30 million investment.

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