Ruth Bader Ginsburg puts hold on release of Trump's banking records
The Supreme Court has granted Donald Trump a hold on the release of the president's banking information to Congressional Democrats while the nation's high court likely determines next steps for three cases involving his financial information and tax records.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg agreed to put a temporary freeze on the release of the president's records from Capital One and Deutsche Bank while Mr Trump appeals a federal court ruling that said those records can be released under a Congressional subpoena.
Congress is seeking those records — along with records from members of Mr Trump's family and businesses — as part of its investigation into foreign influence in US elections, which it began prior to the current impeachment probe in Congress.
House Democrats also subpoenaed Mr Trump's accounting firm Mazars USA. The New York district attorney's office also has subpoenaed the firm.
The president has lost several court appeals to prevent their release, now bringing all three to the desk of the Supreme Court.
The court is set to review those lower-court rulings on 13 December.
If the Supreme Court upholds those rulings, the records could shed significant light on the state of the president's finances, including his financial dealings abroad and potential conflicts of interest.
Mr Trump has fought to keep a lip on his financial records and has refused to release his tax returns, breaking from a tradition of candidates and presidents providing some transparency to their business interests and holdings.
The subpoena request for the president's banking information also includes requests for information from his children Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump, as well as the president's Trump Organisation.
Deutsche Bank, the president's biggest lender, disclosed in filings in August that it has the president's tax returns.
Capital One is among banks housing Mr Trump's personal accounts.
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