US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has denied a request from Democrats to make public personal tax returns of President Donald Trump.
"I am informing you now that the Department may not lawfully fulfil the Committee's request," Mnuchin wrote in his one-page letter on Monday.
The letter came after Mnuchin missed two deadlines in the last month to divulge taxes details.
Mnuchin has said that the request by the Democrats is "unprecedented" arguing that it raises "serious constitutional questions" that could have "dire consequences" for taxpayer privacy.
After becoming a presidential candidate, Trump has refused to release any details of his tax returns.
Democrats suspect the tax information could reveal evidence of wrongdoings by Trump. Democrats have made the tax information one of their top priorities after taking control of the House in January.
Representative Richard E. Neal on April 3 formally requested the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to hand over six years of President Donald Trump's personal and business tax returns by April 10.
Neal wrote to Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Charles P. Rettig, saying "Under the Internal Revenue Manual, individual income tax returns of a President are subject to mandatory examination, but this practice is IRS policy and not codified in the Federal tax laws."
Neal has now indicated that he will continue to demand to tax details of Trump.
"Today, Secretary Mnuchin notified me that the IRS will not provide the documents I requested under Section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code," Neal said. "I will consult with counsel and determine the appropriate response."
Mnuchin earlier said in April that he would deliver a response by April 6. However, in a letter, he postponed the date to April 23, which he also missed.
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