President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden says voters should choose who nominates Supreme Court justice Trump, Biden will not shake hands at first debate due to COVID-19 Pelosi: Trump Supreme Court pick 'threatens' Affordable Care Act MORE and his allies are blasting House Democrats for holding the first Judiciary Committee hearing on impeachment at the same time the president will be in London meeting with other NATO members.

Administration officials have accused Democrats of deliberately attempting to distract Trump from his work overseas by hosting a hearing on Wednesday with constitutional law experts on impeachable offenses.

"The do nothing Democrats decided when I'm going to NATO ... that was the exact time — this is one of the most important journeys that we make as president," Trump told reporters at the White House as he departed for London on Monday.

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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoWatchdog confirms State Dept. canceled award for journalist who criticized Trump Trump's push for win with Sudan amps up pressure on Congress Putin nominated for Nobel Peace Prize MORE, meanwhile, told "Fox & Friends" that he felt the decision to hold a hearing while Trump is abroad went against precedent.

"I regret that they’ve chosen to hold these hearings at the same time that the president and our entire national security team will be traveling to Europe to London to work on these matters," Pompeo said. "It’s very unfortunate."

White House counsel Pat Cipollone also accused Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler Jerrold (Jerry) Lewis NadlerDemocrats shoot down talk of expanding Supreme Court Schumer: 'Nothing is off the table' if GOP moves forward with Ginsburg replacement Top Democrats call for DOJ watchdog to probe Barr over possible 2020 election influence MORE (D-N.Y.) of purposely scheduling the hearing at the same time as Trump's NATO meetings. In a letter to Nadler late Sunday, Cipollone said the White House will not send a representative to participate in the panel's first hearing, but did not rule out taking part in future hearings.

The House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday titled "The Impeachment Inquiry into President Donald J. Trump: Constitutional Grounds for Presidential Impeachment."

The panel will hear from legal scholars as Democrats weigh whether the evidence turned up in their weeks-long impeachment inquiry warrants the drafting of articles aimed at removing the president from office.

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Democrats are looking into whether Trump abused his office by pressuring a foreign government to investigate a domestic political rival.

Trump has in the past blamed hearings focused on his conduct for breakdowns in foreign policy.

The House Oversight and Reform Committee in February heard testimony from Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen Michael Dean CohenAppeals court appears skeptical of Trump's latest argument against tax returns subpoena Judge orders Eric Trump to comply with New York AG's subpoena before Election Day A huge deal for campaign disclosure: Trump's tax records for Biden's medical records MORE while the president was in Vietnam holding denuclearization talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Kim Jong UnFormer GOP lawmakers on endorsing Biden: Trump is no Republican, 'lacks basic self-control' North Korean leader Kim apologizes over killing of South Korean official Pelosi knocks Trump over refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power MORE.

Cohen gave explosive testimony claiming the president was aware of hush money payments to women who claimed to have had an affair with him and called Trump a "con man."

Trump later blamed the focus on that hearing for an inability to reach a deal with North Korea, calling it "perhaps a new low in American politics."