The decision was no surprise, with Mnuchin indicating earlier this week that he expected the dispute to be settled by the courts.

The Trump administration on Friday rejected House Democrats’ subpoena for the president’s tax returns, pushing the two sides closer to a major court fight.

In a letter to House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.), who issued the subpoena last week, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin reiterated what he told Neal in earlier letters: The administration does not believe Democrats have a “legitimate legislative” reason for seeking the tax filings.

“For the same reasons, we are unable to provide the requested information in response to the committee’s subpoena,” he said.