Key House committees threaten subpoenas over Trump-Ukraine allegations

Why it matters: With a majority in the House, Democrats have the power to subpoena Trump administration officials to cooperate in their investigations. The allegations over Trump and Ukraine have erupted into a source of massive controversy over the past week, with Democratic leaders such as House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) suggesting that they could pave a new path to impeachment.

• Trump on Sunday confirmed that he discussed Joe Biden and his son during a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 25, but he has maintained that the conversation did not involve any impropriety.
• Trump has instead doubled down on baseless allegations that Biden forced Ukraine to fire a prosecutor probing his son, arguing that it would be appropriate to investigate the former vice president for corruption.

Reality check: The majority of the subpoenas issued to former and current Trump officials have been blocked by the administration, teeing up prolonged court battles over the question of executive privilege. It's likely that Pompeo will be equally defiant in the face of a Democratic subpoena, though it's worth noting that Giuliani — who does not serve in the administration — may not be covered by the same assertion of alleged privilege.

What to watch: The 3 chairmen have given Pompeo until the end of Thursday to turn over relevant documents and avoid a subpoena. That same day, acting director of national intelligence Joseph Maguire will testify in open session before the House Intelligence Committee about a whistleblower complaint that reportedly concerns Trump and Ukraine.

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Go deeper: Pelosi hints at impeachment over Trump-Ukraine whistleblower complaint