US lawmaker threatens to withhold salaries of Trump officials who block interviews

The salaries of US Interior, Commerce and Justice Department staff may be withheld if they attempt to prevent ongoing House investigations, Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings said in multiple letters.

"Please be advised that any official at the Department who 'prohibits or prevents' or 'attempts or threatens to prohibit or prevent' any officer or employee of the Federal Government from speaking with the Committee could have his or her salary withheld," Cummings said on Tuesday.

The House Oversight Committee is seeking transcribed interviews with eight current and former Trump administration officials regarding two probes - one investigation looking into adding a citizenship question to the 2020 Census and another related to Interior Secretary's compliance with federal record-keeping laws.

The requests for seven out of eight interviews have previously been declined or remained unanswered, Cummings stated in a press release accompanying the letters.

The move to withhold salaries comes amid escalating tensions between House Democrats and the White House over the course of investigations. Last month, US President Donald Trump told reporters that he plans to "fight all subpoenas." In recent weeks, the White House has directed multiple current and former officials to ignore requests by the House Democrats to turn over documents to the committee.