Former White House national security adviser John Bolton did not appear for his closed-door deposition on Thursday, instead telling the House committees conducting the impeachment inquiry that he would challenge a potential subpoena for his testimony in court.

Why it matters: A House Intelligence Committee official said that Democrats have "no interest in allowing the administration to play a rope-a-dope with us in the courts for months," and that the White House's decision to block Bolton from testifying will be used as further evidence of obstruction for a potential article of impeachment.

The big picture: House Democrats on Wednesday withdrew a subpoena for Charles Kupperman, a former aide to Bolton who had asked a court to determine whether he should cooperate with the inquiry or follow a White House order blocking him from testifying.

With House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff's announcement Wednesday that the committee will begin public impeachment hearings next week, it appears Democrats believe they already have enough evidence to proceed without the testimony of White House officials fighting subpoenas.

Go deeper: Adam Schiff announces first public impeachment hearings