Trump Media deal faces calls for inquiry over alleged ‘influence peddling’

Stock debut that could net the former president billions was kept afloat by opaque loans provided in part by Anton Postolnikov

Democratic groups escalated calls on Thursday for Congress to investigate Donald Trump's social media company Trump Media after a report that it relied partly on emergency loans in 2022 traced back to a Russian-American under federal criminal investigation to make it to its stock market debut.

The move increased political scrutiny into the merger between Trump Media Technology Group and the blank-check company Digital World Acquisition - which could net Trump about $4bn - as federal prosecutors secured guilty pleas from two investors who insider-traded on the deal.