House Democrats vote to subpoena Ivanka Trump's private email and Jared Kushner's WhatsApp messages


Because America needed another email debacle.
The House Oversight Committee voted Thursday to authorize subpoenas of all White House officials' work messages sent through private email accounts and messaging apps. The vote was along party lines, and is likely targeted at Ivanka Trump's private email account, Jared Kushner's WhatsApp messages, and former chief strategist Stephen Bannon's personal cell phone, Politico reports.
Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server for State Department emails was a constant point of contention during President Trump's campaign. But that didn't stop Trump's daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump from using her private email account to conduct government business, or her husband and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner from using the messaging app WhatsApp to talk with foreign leaders. Oversight Democrats had pledged to investigate both of those instances and, after the White House refused to hand over the communications, voted along party lines to okay a subpoena for them.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
All White House officials are subject to the subpoena Democrats voted to authorize Thursday, which committee Chair Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) characterized as "mak[ing] it clear that White House records belong to the public — not the president," per Politico. Ranking Member Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) meanwhile called the subpoena "an attempt to create an appearance of some type of controversy."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Giorgio Armani obituary: designer revolutionised the business of fashion
In the Spotlight ‘King Giorgio’ came from humble beginnings to become a titan of the fashion industry and redefine 20th century clothing
-
Crossword: September 13, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
Sudoku medium: September 13, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own list
speed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battle
Speed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants