Former Rep. Trey Gowdy Harold (Trey) Watson GowdySunday shows preview: Election integrity dominates as Nov. 3 nears Tim Scott invokes Breonna Taylor, George Floyd in Trump convention speech Sunday shows preview: Republicans gear up for national convention, USPS debate continues in Washington MORE (R-S.C.) is in talks to join President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE's legal team as the president mounts a defense against an impeachment inquiry from House Democrats.

"We are in discussion with Trey about joining our team," Trump attorney Jay Sekulow Jay Alan SekulowNow, we need the election monitors Judge denies Trump's request for a stay on subpoena for tax records Judge throws out Trump effort to block subpoena for tax returns MORE said, adding that no final decisions have been made.

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The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

A Fox News spokesperson said Wednesday that Gowdy has been terminated from his role with the network and is no longer a contributor.

Reports first surfaced late Tuesday afternoon that Gowdy was in talks to join the president's impeachment defense team. Conflicting reports later emerged about whether he had formally agreed to take on an outside role or if discussions were ongoing.

Gowdy, a former prosecutor who retired from Congress after his term ended in January, would bring an extensive knowledge of both the legal system and the inner workings of House proceedings.

He served as the chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee and led the House Select Committee on Benghazi, where he grilled former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonBloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida Hillicon Valley: Productivity, fatigue, cybersecurity emerge as top concerns amid pandemic | Facebook critics launch alternative oversight board | Google to temporarily bar election ads after polls close Trump pledges to make Juneteenth a federal holiday, designate KKK a terrorist group in pitch to Black voters MORE and other Obama administration officials over their roles and knowledge of the 2012 attack on the U.S. Consulate in the eastern Libyan city.

The White House on Tuesday evening escalated the fight with House Democrats over their impeachment inquiry.

White House counsel Pat Cipollone sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiDemocratic senator to party: 'A little message discipline wouldn't kill us' Overnight Health Care: New wave of COVID-19 cases builds in US | Florida to lift all coronavirus restrictions on restaurants, bars | Trump stirs questions with 0 drug coupon plan Overnight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds MORE (D-Calif.) and three committee leaders stating that the administration would not cooperate with any of their requests related to the impeachment inquiry.

The White House decried the inquiry as an "invalid" effort to "overturn the results of the 2016 election" and asserted that the lack of a formal vote to launch an impeachment inquiry broke with past precedent and violated the executive branch's rights.

Pelosi announced late last month that the House would formally launch an impeachment inquiry into Trump, alleging he abused his office by urging Ukraine's president to “look into” Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden Joe BidenFormer Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick Bloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida MORE.

Democratic committee leaders have in recent days issued subpoenas demanding records from the White House, Vice President Pence, the Office of Management and Budget, the Pentagon and Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani Rudy GiulianiThe Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting CIA found Putin 'probably directing' campaign against Biden: report Democrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate MORE as part of the investigation.

Updated Oct. 9 at 12:47 p.m.