WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, Jerrold Nadler, on Monday said President Donald Trump’s decision not to take part in hearings that could lead to his impeachment was “unfortunate.”

“Late last night, the president and his counsel turned down our invitation to participate in Wednesday’s hearing. His response is unfortunate because allowing the president to participate has been a priority for the House from the outset,” Nadler, a Democrat, said.

The White House on Sunday sent a letter declining to participate in hearings weighing whether the Republican Trump should be impeached for pressuring Ukraine’s president to investigate a potential political rival.