Chairman Devin Nunes initially declined to recognize Adam Schiff’s motion before recessing the panel for about 20 minutes. When it reconvened, the committee voted along party lines, 11-6, to table Schiff’s attempt to bring the interpreter before the committee. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images House Republicans defeat attempt to subpoena Trump interpreter

Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday defeated an attempt by panel Democrats to subpoena the interpreter who worked for President Donald Trump during his summit Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“This is an extraordinary remedy, I realize, but then it’s extraordinary for the president of the United States to ask all of his senior staff essentials to leave the room and have a conversation with an adversary,” said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who called for the vote to compel the interpreter to testify behind closed doors. “And then in a public conversation disavow his own intelligence agencies and in many respects disavow his own country.”


Trump has come under increasing scrutiny from Democrats as well as his fellow Republicans for appearing to side with Putin over his own intelligence agencies on Russian meddling allegations, even as the president has attempted to walk back his comments in recent days.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.) have also called for the translator’s testimony.

Schiff noted Democrats had requested a business meeting for next week but that the request had been declined, arguing “this may be our last opportunity before we go into an extended recess” to make such an effort.

Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) initially declined to recognize Schiff’s motion before recessing the panel for about 20 minutes. When it reconvened, the committee voted along party lines, 11-6, to table Schiff’s attempt to bring the interpreter before the committee.