President Donald Trump and his lawyers have declined the invitation to participate in congressional impeachment hearing this week.

The White House said it will not participate in the House Judiciary Committee’s first impeachment inquiry thereby leaving an open possibility that it may take part in future proceedings.

In a letter to committee chairman Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., White House Counsel Pat Cipollone said next week’s hearing does “not begin to provide the president with any semblance of a fair process. But Cipollone said President Donald Trump may participate if he is allowed to do so “meaningfully.

The Democratic-led House of Representatives judiciary committee, tasked with considering charges known as articles of impeachment, had given Trump until 6pm yesterday evening to say whether he would send a lawyer to take part in the judiciary panel’s proceedings.