Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK
Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight
US treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin has failed to release Donald Trump's tax returns in time to meet a deadline demanded by House Democrats as the president continues to insist, incorrectly, that he cannot do so himself because his affairs remain “under audit”.
“The legal implications of this request could affect protections for all Americans against politically-motivated disclosures of personal tax information, regardless of which party is in power,” Mr Mnuchin wrote in a letter to House Ways and Means committee chairman Richard Neal.
He said the Department of Treasury respects lawmakers’ oversight duties and would make sure taxpayer protections would be “scrupulously observed, consistent with my statutory responsibilities” as the department reviews the request.
Mr Neal said in a statement that he “will consult with counsel and determine the appropriate response to the commissioner in the coming days.” Under the law, the IRS commissioner is required to provide access to any taxpayer’s returns when directed by the chairmen of the House or Senate tax-writing committees.
Mnuchin said Neal’s request raised important questions of “constitutional scope of congressional investigative authority, the legitimacy of the asserted legislative purpose, and the constitutional rights of American citizens.”
Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet
Show all 20
He quoted Capitol Hill Republicans in calling the request “Nixonian” and warned that it could set a precedent for disclosing personal tax information for political purposes.
Earlier Wednesday, Mr Trump weighed in, telling reporters that he won’t agree to release his returns while he is under audit.
The president said, “I would love to give them, but I’m not going to do it while I’m under audit.” The IRS says there’s no rule against subjects of an audit from publicly releasing their tax filings.
Neal asked the IRS last Wednesday to turn over six years of the president’s tax returns within a week. Mr Trump has broken with decades of presidential precedent by not voluntarily releasing his returns to the public.
The president has meanwhile called for an inquiry into the “attempted coup” against him, attacked the EU over Brexit on Twitter and marvelled at the sheer size of Texas on a trip to San Antonio.
Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events
Additional reporting by AP. Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load
A former White House official who accused the administration of providing security clearances despite counsel from experts will testify to the House Oversight Committee, Washington Post has reported.
Carl Kline will meet with the committee on 23 April.
Here’s video of the moment Donald Trump claims he knows “nothing” about WikiLeaks, since it will likely be an important historical point moving forward:
The president has said he wants North Korean sanctions “to remain in place” for the time being, saying the administration did not achieve what it had hoped for during his high-profile summit meetings with regime leader Kim Jong Un:
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies