WASHINGTON — The House Intelligence Committee chairman said Wednesday that the Justice Department had agreed to begin honoring a subpoena for intelligence materials related to the special counsel’s investigation, staving off Democratic action to try to force compliance.

The department could begin handing over counterintelligence and foreign intelligence-related documents as soon as this week, the chairman, Representative Adam B. Schiff of California, said Wednesday morning. The action prompted him to cancel a committee meeting scheduled for later in the day at which Democrats had planned to vote on an unspecified “enforcement action” to increase pressure on the department.

But it was unclear if the agreement was a sign of a broader thaw in tensions between the Democratic House and the Trump administration or a limited concession based on the strength of the Intelligence Committee’s legal case for getting the information. Just a few hours later, President Trump abruptly blew up a meeting with Democratic leaders over infrastructure, citing his rage at Democrats’ “phony” investigations and pledging not to work with them on other matters until the inquiries are ended.

Mr. Schiff’s subpoena is broad, encompassing Robert S. Mueller III’s full report, its underlying evidence and the intelligence-related materials his investigation produced. But in an effort to find an initial compromise, Mr. Schiff said he would accept documents in 12 narrower categories, though he has not specified publicly what they are.