U.S. Democrats in Congress launched a brand new probe into President Donald Trump's inner circle on Monday, seeking information about his communications with Russian President Vladimir Putin and documents from 81 sources including the president's sons Donald Jr. and Eric and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The lawmakers expressed concern about media reports that Trump seized notes on at least one meeting with the Russian leader and tried to destroy records about those talks.

The powerful panel's Democratic chairman, U.S. Representative Jerry Nadler, sent letters to 81 people and entities in Trump's current or former orbit or who may have information pertinent to the investigation, amid a push by opposition lawmakers to hold the president and his associates accountable for possible wrongdoing.

The Republican president faces investigations from several congressional committees, as well as the 22-month-long federal special counsel probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and whether the Trump campaign worked with Moscow to sway the outcome.

When they took control of the U.S. House of Representatives in January, Democrats promised investigations on multiple fronts involving Trump, saying their Republican counterparts had ignored red flags coming out of the White House.

The Judiciary Committee listed Trump family members, current and former business employees, Republican campaign staffers and former White House aides, as well as the FBI, White House and WikiLeaks were listed as recipients of documents requests.

The panel also named the president's sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, White House aide and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former White House counsel Don McGahn.

"We have seen the damage done to our democratic institutions in the two years that the Congress refused to conduct responsible oversight," Nadler said. "Congress must provide a check on abuses of power."

Trump: It's a hoax

At the White House, Trump was asked if he would cooperate with Nadler's probe.

"I cooperate all the time with everybody," he said before adding: "You know the beautiful thing? No collusion. It's all a hoax... It's a political hoax."

A committee lawyer told reporters the immediate aim is to amass a large trove of evidence to guide the investigation and help decide which witnesses to approach. The panel is prepared to use its subpoena power if needed, the lawyer said.

Among the committee's aims is determining whether Trump obstructed justice by ousting perceived enemies at the Justice Department, such as former FBI Director James Comey, and abused his presidential power by possibly offering pardons or tampering with witnesses.

Comey was leading an investigation into Russian activities in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and possible collusion with Trump's campaign when the president fired him in May 2017.

The investigation was subsequently taken over by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is expected to end his investigation and report his findings in coming weeks.

The Judiciary Committee also is looking at whether Trump has used the White House for personal enrichment in violation of the Constitution's emoluments clause.

Representatives for the White House and Justice Department said the requests are being reviewed.

Republicans in Congress accuse Democrats of pursuing an impeachment agenda against Trump as part of a political strategy to reclaim the White House in the 2020 election.

Trump maintains that his campaign did not collude with Russia and has repeatedly attacked the investigation on Twitter.

(Top image: Donald Trump and his son Donald Jr. arrive for a press conference at Trump Tower in New York, as Allen Weisselberg (C), chief financial officer of The Trump, looks on. /VCG Photo)