The White House and Congress are embroiled in a growing fight over Congress' ability to force officials in the executive branch to testify. Democrats in Congress see the White House resistance as a violation of checks and balances laid out in the Constitution. But President Trump says House Democrats are abusing their power for political gain ahead of the 2020 election. A look at coverage, in which "stonewalling" is a now common theme in headlines:
- Trump's view: The president is making no secret of his strategy. "We're fighting all the subpoenas," he told reporters Wednesday, reports NBC News. "These aren't, like, impartial people." In a separate interview with the Washington Post, Trump said he'd fulfilled his obligations by allowing aides to talk to Robert Mueller. "There is no reason to go any further, and especially in Congress where it's very partisan—obviously very partisan."
- Counter-view: It's voiced by Rep. Ted Lieu, a California Democrat. "If Trump is allowed to get away with ignoring Congress, then, in effect, we no longer have a representative system of government," he said, per the Post. "We have more like a monarchy. That's exactly what our framers wanted to prevent."