Khanna to introduce bill that would establish Truth and Accountability Commission

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) is introducing legislation that would create the first-ever Truth and Accountability Commission to investigate what he calls abuses of power by the Trump administration.

The bill, first shared with The Hill, notes the commission would examine several issues, including the administration’s decision to launch a war in Iran without congressional authorization.

It would also examine President Trump and his family’s alleged use of public office for private enrichment; unreleased files related to deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; “shootings and other uses of force” by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol officers; and other executive branch actions, such as the firing of federal employees under the now-defunct Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and funding freezes.

Khanna, who has not ruled out a 2028 presidential bid, told The Hill that Americans across the country are demanding accountability from the Trump administration.

“I completely disagree with Democrats who say that we should not impeach Trump. I completely disagree with Democrats who say, ‘Let’s just have a kumbaya moment and move on.’ I am the wing of the Democratic Party that is going to demand accountability and demand the investigation and prosecution for anyone who broke the law,” Khanna said.

The commission would consist of 11 members, with the chairperson selected by the president. The minority and majority leaders in the House and Senate will each select two members to serve on the commission. The remaining members will be appointed by the chairperson from a list of no less than five individuals submitted by state attorneys general affiliated with the Republican and Democratic Parties. 

Asked whether he thinks Republicans will be supportive of the effort, Khanna said, “I believe that once they lose in the midterms, people are going to start to break with Donald Trump.” 

“They’re going to recognize that they don’t want to hang their political future on a corrupt administration, and I will work as I did with [Rep. Thomas] Massie [(R-Ky.)] on accountability on these issues. I mean, standing against corruption is something that is going to be bipartisan,” the congressman said. 

Khanna partnered with Massie in authoring and pushing for the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Trump signed into law last year. Khanna has also pushed for the prosecution of individuals tied to Epstein’s sexual abuse and exploitation.

If Democrats win back the House majority in November, their investigations, legislative priorities and oversight of the Trump administration could serve as both a test of their ability to govern and a blueprint for the party’s broader political message heading into the 2028 presidential race. 

Khanna said he believes this commission “can set the standard in 2028 for what the Democratic base and what voters expect of the next president.”

“They expect a president that’s going to hold the elites accountable. They expect us to not just move on, but to make sure that we have the rule of law followed. They expect us to hold Trump’s family accountable, Trump’s administration accountable, the people who committed illegal acts accountable, and have the courage and the strength to stand up for that, instead of just saying, ‘Okay, we’re going to move on and let’s pretend this never happened,’” Khanna said.