Treasury Again Misses Trump Tax Return Deadline

The Treasury Department on Tuesday defied a demand from House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal to turn over six years of Trump's tax returns by the close of business—a strong signal that they intend to reject the request. In a letter to Neal, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin asked for more time and said he would give the panel a final decision by May 6, the AP reports. Mnuchin wrote Neal that he is consulting with the Justice Department "due to the serious constitutional questions raised by this request and the serious consequences that a resolution of those questions could have for taxpayer privacy."

Neal hasn't announced next steps, but he could opt to issue a subpoena to enforce his demand, sent under a 1924 law that requires the Treasury secretary to furnish any tax return requested by a handful of lawmakers with responsibility over the IRS. Mnuchin had already declined the request for Trump's tax returns earlier this month, after which Neal appealed directly to the IRS to release the returns by close of business Tuesday, CNN reports. Mnuchin oversees the IRS. "Mnuchin notified me that once again, the IRS will miss the deadline," Neal said in a statement after receiving the letter. "I plan to consult with counsel about my next steps." (Trump on Monday sued to stop the release of his financial records.)