The White House informed the U.S. Congress on Friday that it will refuse to participate in impeachment hearings against President Donald Trump in the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee next week.

In a letter to Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, White House counsel Pat Cipollone called the Democrats' impeachment inquiry "completely baseless" and said that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had ordered Democrats to proceed with articles of impeachment "before your committee has heard a single shred of evidence."

"We don't see any reason to participate because the process is unfair," said a senior administration official.

"We haven't been given any fair opportunity to participate. The speaker has already announced the predetermined result and they will not give us the ability to call any witnesses."