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Mnuchin responded by saying he would first consult with legal counsel at the Treasury Department.

“The answer is, if I receive a request, which I presume from what I’ve read in the press I will receive, I will consult with the legal department within Treasury and I will follow the law,” he said.

Mnuchin testified that Trump has not asked him to intervene if Congress requests his tax returns, and said he had not discussed the issue with anyone at the White House, including Trump’s attorneys.

But Mnuchin raised questions about whether turning over the returns might violate the president’s privacy, previewing a possible reason to refuse the request.

“I’m not aware if there’s ever been a request for an elected official’s tax return, but we will follow the law and we would protect the president as we would protect any individual taxpayer under their rights,” he said.

Trump broke tradition in 2016 when he became the first presidential nominee in decades not to release his tax returns.

Democrats hope that unearthing the president’s returns might expose conflicts of interest or how he ran his business, or perhaps embarrass the president if the documents show his wealth is less than he has indicated.

Democrats on Thursday took the opportunity to pressure Mnuchin to comply with the request if he receives it.

Mnuchin responded that the figures referred to sharing tax information within the government and with states.

“This is a bulk issue. This is different from what I read about in the press,” he said.

“Should this apply to Treasury employees as well?” she asked.

Mnuchin demurred, saying he wouldn’t engage with hypothetical situations.

“There’s an awful lot of interest in 6103,” he said.