New York: US President Donald Trump cannot block a request to hand over eight years of tax returns to Manhattan prosecutors, a federal judge ruled, after Trump claimed he was immune from being sued.

Trump quickly filed an emergency notice of appeal to the federal appeals court in Manhattan.

US District Judge Victor Marrero in Manhattan decided to abstain from resolving the dispute, and therefore dismissed Trump's lawsuit.

He also criticised Trump for advancing what the judge called an argument that the President, his family and businesses "associated with him in potentially unlawful private activities, are in fact above the law."