Senator Elizabeth Warren, a senior member of the Senate banking committee, has questioned the relationship between Howard Lutnick, Mr. Trump's nominee for commerce secretary, and Tether, citing potential conflicts of interest. She criticised Tether's links to sanctioned entities and highlighted broader concerns. Howard Lutnick does not directly oversee cryptocurrency regulation, but the department has published reports on industry regulation. In addition, there is a view that Lutnick's close ties to Trump could have an impact, as his company's client Tether is facing intense scrutiny from US regulators and investigators. "I am deeply concerned about Lutnick's past work with a company that has been investigated for links to sanctioned entities such as Russian arms dealers and North Korea's nuclear weapons program," Warren said. "The commerce secretary should be fighting for America's interests, not his own personal interests or those of former clients who undermine our national security."