The White House rejected a request by congressional Democrats that it provide information about President Donald Trump's communications with Russian President Vladimir Putin, House Democratic leaders said Thursday, suggesting they would take further action. Representatives Adam Schiff, Eliot Engel and Elijah Cummings, the chairmen of the House of Representatives Intelligence, Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees, respectively, said in a statement the rejection was part of a "troubling pattern" by the White House. The White House sent its denial in a letter to Congress, according to reports by The Hill newspaper and CNN. Cummings, Engel and Schiff had asked the White House and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in early March for documents and interviews about Trump's conversations with Putin. President's communications are privateIn his response, White House counsel Pat Cipollone said a president's communications with foreign leaders were confidential and protected by executive privilege.

Source: CBC News March 22, 2019 00:00 UTC