Sen. Bernie Sanders is warning Democrats that their coming control of Congress cannot become a two-year festival of investigations into President Donald Trump and his allies. While Sanders supports accountability efforts, he says the party must focus first on affordability and the struggles facing working families, as reported by Fox News.

Democrats are set to take control of the House and Senate in January after securing majorities in both chambers following last week’s elections. Several Democrats have already promised to wield subpoena power against current and former Trump administration officials once the new Congress begins.

During an appearance on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” host Kristen Welker asked Sanders whether two years of investigating Trump and administration officials could jeopardize the party’s mandate to lower prices and make life more affordable. Sanders answered, “Yes, I do.”

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“Do we want to hold the Trump administration accountable for their corruption, for their illegal, unconstitutional actions? Absolutely,” Sanders said. Still, he cautioned that Democrats “cannot spend all of our time investigating Trump.”

Sanders pointed to childhood poverty, struggling seniors and concerns about artificial intelligence while making his case for a broader agenda. He said 20% of seniors are trying to survive on $15,000 a year.

“At the end of the day, when you’ve got the highest rate of childhood poverty in America, of any major country, when 20% of our seniors are trying to survive on $15,000 a year, when people are scared to death that Elon Musk and the other billionaires are pushing AI down our throats with cataclysmic impacts on the economy, our privacy rights, on our health, and — and imposing an existential threat to humanity, we cannot spend all of our time investigating Trump,” he said.

“We’ve got to stand up for working-class families, make a real difference in their lives,” Sanders continued. His warning comes after Democrats campaigned on affordability before the midterm elections, blaming the Trump administration for rising costs involving gas, groceries, housing and healthcare.

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Democratic candidates linked those costs in part to the U.S. military’s war on Iran and Trump’s tariffs on countries around the world. Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other allies partially attributed Republican midterm losses to the Iran war, which led to surging fuel prices.

Gas prices are nearly $1 per gallon higher than they were a year ago, according to AAA. The organization reported that the national average stood at $4.02 per gallon as of Sunday.

Despite the affordability pitch, Democrats are also preparing investigations. Incoming House Oversight Committee leader Rep. Robert Garcia of California said Democrats could examine Trump’s pardons and allies, including tech executive Elon Musk and newly appointed White House chief of staff Stephen Miller.

Garcia said last week that Oversight Democrats are “ready to take on the crooks, the con men, and the Trump crime family.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, who is expected to become the next House speaker, also pledged accountability.

Jeffries said Democrats are “going to bring accountability to those who have visited unprecedented corruption on this country.” He argued that officials focused on enriching themselves, relatives, friends or donors are not focused on improving life for Americans.

“But House Democrats will put the American people first,” Jeffries said. Sanders, however, argued that the election represented more than voter opposition to Trump administration policies.

“What I think this election was about, is the American people not only expressing disgust with Trump and his policies, but are demanding real change, no more tinkering around the edges,” Sanders said.

He described voters as working long hours, worrying about their children and struggling to afford healthcare and housing while the wealthiest Americans prosper.

The Vermont senator said Democrats must stand up to big money and build an economy and government that serve everyone. Even while calling Trump “mentally unbalanced” and “erratic,” Sanders acknowledged the president is “a good politician” and “not stupid.”

Sanders suggested Democrats might be able to work with Trump on economic and healthcare issues, including the minimum wage and guaranteeing healthcare. “Do I think we can work with Trump? Maybe. I’m, by no means, guaranteeing it. But it is certainly worth the effort,” he said.

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