President George W. Bush on Tuesday threw down the gauntlet to the Democratic-controlled Congress over its demand that senior officials be subpoenaed over the firings of eight US attorneys, warning them against any “partisan fishing expedition”.

“It will be regrettable if they [the Democrats] go down the partisan road of issuing subpoenas and demanding show trials,” Mr Bush said in a televised address. “I will oppose any attempts to subpoena White House officials.”