U.S. appeals court rejects Trump bid to withhold records on Capitol attack

A U.S. appeals court on Thursday rejected a request by former President Donald Trump to withhold records from the House of Representatives probe of the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, saying he had provided "no basis" for his request.

"Former President Trump has provided no basis for this court to override President Biden's judgment," a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit wrote.

President Joe Biden had previously determined that the records, which belong to the executive branch, should not be subject to executive privilege and that turning them over to Congress was in the best interest of the nation.

"Both branches agree that there is a unique legislative need for these documents and that they are directly relevant to the Committee’s inquiry into an attack on the legislative branch and its constitutional role in the peaceful transfer of power," the court said.

The ruling marks yet another blow to the Republican former president, who has waged an ongoing legal battle with the committee over access to documents and witnesses.

The House Select Committee investigating the riot has asked the National Archives, the U.S. agency housing Trump's White House records, to produce visitor logs, phone records and written communications between his advisers.