First impeachment trial of Donald Trump
{{Short description|2020 trial in the US Senate}}
{{About||impeachment in the House of Representatives|First impeachment of Donald Trump|impeachment inquiry|Impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox United States impeachment trial
| image = Chief Justice John Roberts presides over the impeachment trial of Donald Trump.jpg
| image_size = 300px
| presiding_officer= Chief Justice John Roberts
| caption = Chief Justice John Roberts presides over the first impeachment trial of Donald Trump
| accusations = {{ubl|Abuse of power|Obstruction of Congress}}
| accused = Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States
| cause = Allegations that Trump sought help from Ukrainian authorities to favor him in the 2020 U.S. presidential election
| period = January 16 – February 5, 2020 ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|2020|1|16|2020|2|5}})
| outcome = Acquitted by the U.S. Senate, remained in the office of President of the United States
| managers = {{plainlist|
- Adam Schiff (lead manager)
- Jason Crow
- Val Demings
- Sylvia Garcia
- Hakeem Jeffries
- Zoe Lofgren
- Jerry Nadler
}}
| defense_counsel = {{plainlist|
- Pat Cipollone (White House Counsel)
- Pam Bondi
- Alan Dershowitz
- Eric Herschemann
- Patrick F. Philbin
- Michael Purpura
- Jane Raskin
- Robert Ray
- Jay Sekulow
- Ken Starr
}}
}}
{{Trump–Ukraine scandal series}}
{{Donald Trump series}}
The first impeachment trial of Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, began in the U.S. Senate on January 16, 2020, and concluded with his acquittal on February 5.[https://www.npr.org/2020/02/05/801429948/not-guilty-trump-acquitted-on-2-articles-of-impeachment-as-historic-trial-closes 'Not Guilty': Trump Acquitted On 2 Articles Of Impeachment As Historic Trial Closes] (Senate Republicans would not allow evidence to be submitted into the record, officially.) {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206152432/https://www.npr.org/2020/02/05/801429948/not-guilty-trump-acquitted-on-2-articles-of-impeachment-as-historic-trial-closes |date=February 6, 2020}} by Philip Ewing, NPR, February 5, 2020, 4:33 PM ET After an inquiry between September and November 2019, President Trump was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives on December 18, 2019; the articles of impeachment charged him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. It was the third impeachment trial of a U.S. president, preceded by those of Andrew Johnson and of Bill Clinton.{{efn|Richard Nixon resigned before he could be impeached and put on trial.}}
The Republican majority voted on January 21 to reject 11 amendments proposed by Democrats which requested subpoena authority to introduce testimony from current and former White House officials, as well as Trump administration documents which were not provided to House investigators.
The prosecution made its opening arguments on January 22–24, and the defense made its arguments on January 25–28. This was followed by a period of questions, answers, and debate on January 29–31. On January 31, a majority of 51 senators (all Republicans) voted against allowing subpoenas to call witnesses or documents.
On February 5, the Senate acquitted Trump on both impeachment articles, as neither article obtained the support of a two-thirds supermajority of senators. Fifty-two Republican senators voted against the charge of abuse of power, and all fifty-three voted against the charge of obstruction of Congress. Mitt Romney became the first U.S. senator in history to cast a vote to convict and remove a president of his own political party from office.
On January 13, 2021, the House of Representatives voted to start a second impeachment trial of Trump, following the January 6 United States Capitol attack. The Senate acquitted Trump a second time on February 13, 2021.{{Cite web|title=Trump acquitted in impeachment trial; 7 GOP Senators vote with Democrats to convict|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-acquitted-impeachment-trial-7-gop-senators-vote-democrats-convict-n1257876|access-date=2021-02-13|website=NBC News|language=en}}
Background
{{see|Federal impeachment trial in the United States|Federal impeachment in the United States}}
File:House Resolution 755 — Articles of Impeachment Against President Donald J. Trump.pdf
Under the U.S. Constitution, the House has the sole power of impeachment (Article I, Section 2, Clause 5), and after that action has been taken, the Senate has the sole power to hold the trial for all impeachments (Article I, Section 3, Clause 6). Trump is the third U.S. president to face a Senate impeachment trial, after Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton.{{cite web |last=Roos |first=Dave |title=What Happens After Impeachment |url=https://www.history.com/news/what-happens-after-impeachment |url-status=live |website=History |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219180008/https://history.com/news/what-happens-after-impeachment |archive-date=December 19, 2019 |access-date=December 20, 2019}}
= Early planning =
{{see also|Efforts to impeach Donald Trump|Impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump}}
After the emergence of Trump's phone call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, House leadership came to the conclusion that impeachment might be advisable, and began an inquiry.{{cite news |last=Gambino |first=Lauren |title=Pelosi announces impeachment inquiry into Trump over Ukraine scandal |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/sep/24/pelosi-impeachment-inquiry-trump-ukraine |url-status=live |work=The Guardian |date=September 25, 2019 |access-date=December 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219052046/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/sep/24/pelosi-impeachment-inquiry-trump-ukraine |archive-date=December 19, 2019}}
As this was happening, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was quietly planning a possible trial. On October 8, 2019, he led a meeting on the subject, advising the Republican Senators to craft their responses according to their own political needs. McConnell proposed two potential avenues: state opposition to the House process, or refuse to comment due to being potential jurors.{{cite web |last=Mascaro |first=Lisa |title=How Mitch McConnell is managing impeachment and a fragmenting Republican response |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-nw-impeachment-senate-republicans-20191109-bsrbhhe37vdy3bcdirub7lo4bm-story.html |url-status=live |website=Chicago Tribune |date=November 9, 2019 |access-date=December 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217011132/https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-nw-impeachment-senate-republicans-20191109-bsrbhhe37vdy3bcdirub7lo4bm-story.html |archive-date=December 17, 2019}}
= Republican plans =
As the articles of impeachment moved to a vote before the full House and referral to the Senate for trial, Mitch McConnell met with White House Counsel Pat Cipollone and congressional liaison Eric Ueland, later stating, "Everything I do during this I'm coordinating with the White House counsel. There will be no difference between the president's position and our position as to how to handle this{{nbsp}}... I'm going to take my cues from the president's lawyers." As part of the "total coordination", McConnell said the president's lawyers could decide if witnesses would be called for the trial.{{cite web |last=Carney |first=Jordain |title=McConnell says he'll be in 'total coordination' with White House on impeachment trial strategy |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/474399-mcconnell-says-hell-be-in-total-coordination-with-white-house-on-impeachment |date=December 12, 2019 |website=The Hill}}{{cite news |last=Blake |first=Aaron |title=McConnell indicates he'll let Trump's lawyers dictate Trump's impeachment trial |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/13/mcconnell-says-hell-let-trumps-white-house-dictate-trumps-impeachment-trial/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 14, 2019 |access-date=January 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219124528/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/13/mcconnell-says-hell-let-trumps-white-house-dictate-trumps-impeachment-trial/ |archive-date=December 19, 2019 |url-status=live }} McConnell also said there was "no chance" the Senate would convict Trump and remove him from office, while declaring his wish that all Senate Republicans would acquit Trump of both charges.{{cite news |last1=Egan |first1=Lauren |title=McConnell: 'There's no chance' Trump is removed from office |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/mcconnell-there-s-no-chance-trump-removed-office-n1101286 |work=NBC News |access-date=December 16, 2019 |date=December 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215202600/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/mcconnell-there-s-no-chance-trump-removed-office-n1101286 |archive-date=December 15, 2019 |url-status=live }} On December 14, Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham said, "I am trying to give a pretty clear signal I have made up my mind. I'm not trying to pretend to be a fair juror here{{nbsp}}... I will do everything I can to make [the impeachment trial] die quickly."{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/14/politics/lindsey-graham-trump-impeachment-trial/index.html|title='I'm not trying to pretend to be a fair juror here': Graham predicts Trump impeachment will 'die quickly' in Senate |first=Veronica |last=Stracqualursi |date=December 14, 2019 |work=CNN}} Three days later, McConnell said, "I'm not an impartial juror. This is a political process. There is not anything judicial about it. Impeachment is a political decision."{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/17/politics/mcconnell-impartial-juror-impeachment/index.html |date=December 18, 2019 |title=Mitch McConnell: 'I'm not an impartial juror' ahead of Senate impeachment trial |first1=Ted |last1=Barrett |first2=Ali |last2=Zaslav |work=CNN}} The Constitution mandates senators to take an impeachment oath, in which by Senate rules is stated, "I will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws, so help me God."{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/474487-rep-demings-senator-mcconnell-violated-oath-must-recuse-himself|title=House Democrat calls on McConnell to recuse himself from impeachment trial|first=Martin|last=Johnson|date=December 13, 2019|website=The Hill}}{{cite web|url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CDOC-99sdoc33/html/CDOC-99sdoc33.htm|title=Procedure and Guidelines for Impeachment Trials in the United States Senate (Revised Edition)|date=August 15, 1986|publisher=U.S. Government Publishing Office|url-status=live|access-date=December 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026031623/https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CDOC-99sdoc33/html/CDOC-99sdoc33.htm|archive-date=October 26, 2019}}
= December 2019 =
On December 15, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, in a letter to McConnell, called for Mick Mulvaney, Robert Blair,{{efn|One of Mulvaney's top aides until being promoted by Trump on December 23 to a special representative for global telecommunications policy.{{cite news |last1=Cheney |first1=Kyle |title=Trump elevates Mulvaney aide weeks after he defied impeachment subpoena |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/23/trum-robert-blair-mulvaney-089648 |access-date=January 5, 2020 |work=Politico |date=December 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227142602/https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/23/trum-robert-blair-mulvaney-089648 |archive-date=December 27, 2019 |url-status=live }}}} John Bolton{{efn|The former national security advisor did not attend his scheduled House deposition on November 7, 2019, and his lawyer threatened to take legal action if he was subpoenaed. According to a House Intelligence Committee official, this is evidence of the president's obstruction of Congress.{{cite news |last1=Desiderio |first1=Andrew |title=Impeachment investigators pressing forward without John Bolton |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/07/john-bolton-impeachment-067318 |access-date=January 7, 2020 |work=Politico |date=November 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222212016/https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/07/john-bolton-impeachment-067318 |archive-date=December 22, 2019 |url-status=live }} On January 6, 2020, Bolton said he would be willing to testify in the Senate trial if subpoenaed.{{cite news |last1=Fandos |first1=Nicholas |last2=Schmidt |first2=Michael S. |title=Bolton Is Willing to Testify in Trump Impeachment Trial, Raising Pressure for Witnesses |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/06/us/politics/bolton-testify-impeachment-trial.html |access-date=January 6, 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=January 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200106170006/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/06/us/politics/bolton-testify-impeachment-trial.html |archive-date=January 6, 2020 |url-status=live }} However, Trump has said he would invoke executive privilege to keep him from testifying.{{cite news |last1=Fabian |first1=Jordan |title=Trump Will Invoke Executive Privilege to Block Bolton Testimony |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-10/trump-will-invoke-executive-privilege-to-block-bolton-testimony |access-date=January 10, 2020 |work=Bloomberg |date=January 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200110210451/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-10/trump-will-invoke-executive-privilege-to-block-bolton-testimony |archive-date=January 10, 2020 |url-status=live }}}} and Michael Duffey to testify in the expected Senate trial, and suggested that pre-trial proceedings take place on January 6, 2020.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50806222|title=Democrats call for witnesses in impeachment trial|date=December 16, 2019|access-date=December 16, 2019|publisher=BBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216181006/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50806222|archive-date=December 16, 2019|url-status=live}} Two days later, McConnell rejected the call for witnesses to testify, saying the Senate's job is only to judge, not to investigate. Schumer quickly replied, citing bipartisan public support for the testimony of witnesses who could fill in gaps caused by Trump preventing his staff from testifying in the House investigation.{{cite web |first=Jerry |last=Lambe |url=https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/mitch-mcconnell-wont-allow-witnesses-at-trumps-senate-impeachment-trial/|title='Cover Up': McConnell Won't Allow Crucial Witnesses to Testify at Trump Impeachment Trial |website=lawandcrime.com |access-date=December 17, 2019 |date=December 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217221646/https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/mitch-mcconnell-wont-allow-witnesses-at-trumps-senate-impeachment-trial/|archive-date=December 17, 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite news |date=December 17, 2019 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/17/politics/mitch-mcconnell-response-schumer-impeachment/index.html|title=McConnell rejects Schumer's call for witnesses at impeachment trial|first=Ted |last=Barrett |work=CNN |access-date=December 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217223700/https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/17/politics/mitch-mcconnell-response-schumer-impeachment/index.html|archive-date=December 17, 2019|url-status=live}}
On December 17, McConnell opened the Senate session with a half-hour long speech denouncing the impeachment, calling it "the most rushed, least thorough, and most unfair in modern history", and "fundamentally unlike any articles that any prior House of Representatives has ever passed".{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/19/politics/mcconnell-trump-impeachment-senate-trial/index.html|title=McConnell blasts impeachment effort as 'most unfair' in history|last1=Barrett|first1=Ted|last2=Stracqualursi|first2=Veronica|date=December 19, 2019|work=CNN|url-status=live|access-date=December 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219144523/https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/19/politics/mcconnell-trump-impeachment-senate-trial/index.html|archive-date=December 19, 2019}} Schumer replied that he "did not hear a single sentence, a single argument as to why the witnesses I suggested should not give testimony" in the potential Senate trial.{{cite news |first=Adam |last=Edelman |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/mcconnell-shreds-house-s-slapdash-impeachment-investigation-hits-schumer-wanting-n1103206|title=McConnell shreds House's 'slapdash' impeachment investigation, hits Schumer for wanting new witnesses|work=NBC News|date=December 17, 2019|access-date=December 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218150154/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/mcconnell-shreds-house-s-slapdash-impeachment-investigation-hits-schumer-wanting-n1103206|archive-date=December 18, 2019|url-status=live}}
Citing a need to "[s]ee what the process is on the Senate side", on December 18, the day of the impeachment, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi declined to commit to when, or even if, the impeachment resolution would be transmitted to the Senate, saying that "[s]o far we haven't seen anything that looks fair to us."{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/475239-pelosi-noncommittal-on-delivering-impeachment-articles-to-senate|title=Pelosi noncommittal on delivering impeachment articles to Senate|first=Ian|last=Swanson|date=December 18, 2019|website=The Hill|access-date=December 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219024057/https://thehill.com/homenews/house/475239-pelosi-noncommittal-on-delivering-impeachment-articles-to-senate|archive-date=December 19, 2019|url-status=live}}
The entire legislative branch adjourned for winter break later that day without taking action to schedule the Senate trial.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/18/us/politics/impeachment-trial.html|title=Timing of Trump Impeachment Trial in Limbo as Pelosi Holds Out for Assurances|last=Fandos|first=Nicholas|date=December 18, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 20, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219050243/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/18/us/politics/impeachment-trial.html|archive-date=December 19, 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.klgates.com/files/Publication/b7d55454-1b8d-4840-906b-20005bb05a86/Preview/PublicationAttachment/d9a1357e-3e62-4757-8a08-2551f0cc3e6c/19529_2019_Congressional_Calendar-06.pdf|title=2019 Congressional Calendar|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213054203/http://www.klgates.com/files/Publication/b7d55454-1b8d-4840-906b-20005bb05a86/Preview/PublicationAttachment/d9a1357e-3e62-4757-8a08-2551f0cc3e6c/19529_2019_Congressional_Calendar-06.pdf|archive-date=December 13, 2019|access-date=December 20, 2019}} The following day, McConnell and Schumer briefly met to discuss the trial.{{cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/trump-impeachment-democrats-try-to-delay-start-to-senate-trial/a-51745835|title=Trump impeachment: Democrats try to delay start to Senate trial|website=DW.com|date=December 20, 2019|access-date=December 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224073554/https://www.dw.com/en/trump-impeachment-democrats-try-to-delay-start-to-senate-trial/a-51745835|archive-date=December 24, 2019|url-status=live}}
= January 2020 =
Lindsey Graham proposed that he and McConnell "change the rules of the Senate so we could start the trial without [Pelosi], if necessary".{{cite web |last1=LeBlanc |first1=Paul |last2=Wolf |first2=Zachary |title=Impeachment trial negotiations ramp up amid Iran drama |url=http://lite.cnn.com/en/article/h_08604960dd4ede363d6e720a54e6f843 |website=CNN |access-date=28 June 2021 |archive-date=June 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628200131/http://lite.cnn.com/en/article/h_08604960dd4ede363d6e720a54e6f843 |url-status=dead }} On January 7, McConnell announced that he had the caucus backing to pass a blueprint for the trial, which discusses witnesses and evidence after the opening arguments.{{cite news |last1=Everett |first1=Burgess |last2=Levine |first2=Marianne |title=McConnell ready to start impeachment trial with partisan power play |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/07/mcconnell-prepares-to-move-forward-on-impeachment-trial-rules-without-democrats-095537 |access-date=January 7, 2020 |work=Politico |date=January 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200107171001/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/07/mcconnell-prepares-to-move-forward-on-impeachment-trial-rules-without-democrats-095537 |archive-date=January 7, 2020 |url-status=live }} Pelosi called for the resolution to be published before she could proceed with the next steps,{{cite news |last1=Sonmez |first1=Felicia |last2=Itkowitz |first2=Colby |last3=Wagner |first3=John |last4=Seung Min |first4=Kim |title=Pelosi says impeachment articles won't go to Senate until she learns more about how trial would be conducted |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-impeachment-live-updates/2020/01/07/e0f49d52-313b-11ea-91fd-82d4e04a3fac_story.html |access-date=January 7, 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200107131016/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-impeachment-live-updates/2020/01/07/e0f49d52-313b-11ea-91fd-82d4e04a3fac_story.html |archive-date=January 7, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Pelosi |first=Nancy |title=Dear Colleague on Senator McConnell's Untrue Claims Regarding Impeachment |url=https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/1720-0 |publisher=Nancy Pelosi: Speaker of the House |access-date=January 7, 2020 |date=January 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108054010/https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/1720-0 |archive-date=January 8, 2020 |url-status=live }} but McConnell asserted the House had no leverage and that there would be no negotiating over the trial.{{cite news |last1=Everett |first1=Burgess |title=McConnell rejects Pelosi's request for impeachment trial demands |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/08/mitch-mcconnell-pelosi-impeachment-trial-096158 |access-date=January 8, 2020 |work=Politico |date=January 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108160025/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/08/mitch-mcconnell-pelosi-impeachment-trial-096158 |archive-date=January 8, 2020 |url-status=live }} This prompted several Democratic senators to voice their readiness to have the trial begin.{{cite news |last1=Everett |first1=Burgess |last2=Caygle |first2=Heather |title=Senate Democrats break with Pelosi over impeachment trial |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/08/senate-democrats-break-pelosi-over-impeachment-096224 |access-date=January 8, 2020 |work=Politico |date=January 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108190028/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/08/senate-democrats-break-pelosi-over-impeachment-096224 |archive-date=January 8, 2020 |url-status=live }} On January 9, Pelosi said she would deliver the articles soon, but continued to cite a need for Republican transparency in the Senate;{{cite news |last1=Walsh |first1=Deirdre |last2=Snell |first2=Kelsey |title=Pelosi Signals An End To Her Hold On Articles Of Impeachment |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/01/09/794862940/pelosi-signals-an-end-to-her-hold-on-articles-of-impeachment |access-date=January 9, 2020 |publisher=NPR |date=January 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109174011/https://www.npr.org/2020/01/09/794862940/pelosi-signals-an-end-to-her-hold-on-articles-of-impeachment |archive-date=January 9, 2020 |url-status=live }} the same day, McConnell informed members of his caucus that he expected the trial to begin the next week,{{cite news |last1=Everett |first1=Burgess |title=McConnell tells Republicans he expects impeachment trial next week |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/09/mitch-mcconnell-trump-impeachment-096786 |access-date=January 10, 2020 |work=Politico |date=January 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109195010/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/09/mitch-mcconnell-trump-impeachment-096786 |archive-date=January 9, 2020 |url-status=live }} and Senator Josh Hawley announced that McConnell had signed on as a co-sponsor to his resolution to dismiss articles of impeachment not sent to the Senate within 25 days.{{cite news |last1=Carney |first1=Jordain |title=McConnell backs measure to change Senate rules, dismiss impeachment without articles |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/477587-mcconnell-backs-measure-to-change-senate-rules-dismiss-impeachment-without |access-date=January 9, 2020 |work=The Hill |date=January 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109203003/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/477587-mcconnell-backs-measure-to-change-senate-rules-dismiss-impeachment-without |archive-date=January 9, 2020 |url-status=live }} On January 10, Pelosi announced that she and Jerry Nadler were prepared to bring a resolution to appoint managers and transmit the articles of impeachment to the House floor in the next week.{{cite news |last1=Singman |first1=Brooke |title=Pelosi: House will move to transmit impeachment articles next week |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pelosi-articles-of-impeachment-will-be-sent-to-senate-to-allow-trump-trial-to-begin-next-week |access-date=January 10, 2020 |publisher=Fox News |date=January 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200110171039/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pelosi-articles-of-impeachment-will-be-sent-to-senate-to-allow-trump-trial-to-begin-next-week |archive-date=January 10, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{better source needed|date=February 2020}}
On January 6, John Bolton, the former national security advisor in the White House, said he was "prepared to testify" if subpoenaed by the Senate for the impeachment trial.{{cite news |last1=Desiderio |first1=Andrew |last2=Cheney |first2=Kyle |title=Bolton curveball threatens to upend impeachment trial |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/06/john-bolton-willing-to-testify-in-trumps-impeachment-trial-094757 |date=January 6, 2019 |work=Politico |access-date=February 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200106171058/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/06/john-bolton-willing-to-testify-in-trumps-impeachment-trial-094757 |archive-date=January 6, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{efn|The House had invited Bolton to testify during the impeachment inquiry, but after Bolton's former deputy, Charles Kupperman—who shares a lawyer with Bolton—filed a lawsuit in response to being subpoenaed, the House decided not to subpoena Bolton.{{cite news |last1=Herb |first1=Jeremy |last2=Atwood |first2=Kylie |last3=Raju |first3=Manu |title=John Bolton says he is prepared to testify in Senate trial if subpoenaed |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/06/politics/john-bolton-testify-impeachment-subpoena/index.html |work=CNN |access-date=February 1, 2020 |date=January 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128165655/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/06/politics/john-bolton-testify-impeachment-subpoena/index.html |archive-date=January 28, 2020 |url-status=live }}}} On January 23, as Bolton was preparing for possible Senate testimony about the assertions in the manuscript for his yet-to-be-published book, the National Security Council told him it contained classified information which "may not be published or otherwise disclosed".{{cite news |last1=Roberts |first1=John |title=White House told Bolton to remove classified material from manuscript before publication |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-told-bolton-to-remove-classified-material-from-manuscript-before-publication |access-date=February 4, 2020 |work=Fox News |date=January 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204184142/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-told-bolton-to-remove-classified-material-from-manuscript-before-publication |archive-date=February 4, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{better source needed|date=February 2020}} Bolton's attorney said he did not believe the manuscript contained sensitive information.{{cite news |last1=Jackson |first1=Hallie |last2=Smith |first2=Allan |title=White House seeks objects publication of Bolton's book, demands classified info be removed first |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/white-house-seeks-block-publication-bolton-s-book-demands-classified-n1125666 |access-date=February 4, 2020 |work=NBC News |date=January 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205085819/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/white-house-seeks-block-publication-bolton-s-book-demands-classified-n1125666 |archive-date=February 5, 2020 |url-status=live }} The dispute set the stage for a prolonged review, with Bolton's attorney asking that access to the manuscript be limited to "those career government officials and employees regularly charged with responsibility for such reviews".{{cite news |last1=Bertrand |first1=Natasha |title='I've had it take years': Bolton's book could be tied up past November |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/29/john-bolton-book-classified-information-109164 |access-date=February 4, 2020 |work=Politico |date=January 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201084549/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/29/john-bolton-book-classified-information-109164 |archive-date=February 1, 2020 |url-status=live }} On January 26, The New York Times reported that Bolton had written in his book that in August 2019, Trump told Bolton he would continue withholding $391 million in security aid to Ukraine until it assisted with investigations into Democrats, including Joe and Hunter Biden.{{cite news |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie |last2=Schmidt |first2=Michael |title=Trump Tied Ukraine Aid to Inquiries He Sought, Bolton Book Says |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/26/us/politics/trump-bolton-book-ukraine.html |access-date=February 2, 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=January 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200201193640/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/26/us/politics/trump-bolton-book-ukraine.html |archive-date=February 1, 2020 |url-status=live }} The Associated Press independently confirmed the report a day later, while Trump labeled Bolton's claims as false (despite admitting he had not read the manuscript).{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Zeke |title=News of Bolton book sends jolt through impeachment trial |url=https://apnews.com/article/c5f9cc7070a1d3a0e6afc945036811ae |access-date=February 2, 2020 |work=Associated Press |date=January 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128214237/https://apnews.com/c5f9cc7070a1d3a0e6afc945036811ae |archive-date=January 28, 2020 |url-status=live }} On January 31, The New York Times reported that Bolton's book also described a May 2019 meeting where Trump, in the presence of Pat Cipollone, Mick Mulvaney and Rudy Giuliani, asked Bolton to call Zelenskyy to set up a meeting between him and Giuliani.{{cite news |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie |last2=Schmidt |first2=Michael |title=Trump Told Bolton to Help His Ukraine Pressure Campaign, Book Says |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/31/us/politics/trump-bolton-ukraine.html |access-date=February 2, 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=January 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200201193230/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/31/us/politics/trump-bolton-ukraine.html |archive-date=February 1, 2020 |url-status=live }}
On January 31, the lawyer for Lev Parnas sent a letter to McConnell stating that Parnas was ready to testify before the Senate with information "directly relevant to the President's impeachment inquiry", including physical evidence of documents and messages. Parnas would be able to testify on the efforts to "remove Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch and gather 'dirt' on Joe and Hunter Biden", as well as his own actions "at the direction of Mr. Giuliani, on behalf of" President Trump, which included Parnas' trips to Ukraine and meetings with aides of the Ukrainian president to convey a quid pro quo. Parnas would be able to testify on his own direct conversations with Trump, as well as conversations between Trump and Giuliani that Parnas overheard. According to the letter, Parnas knew of "the pressure [Trump] was placing upon Ambassador Bolton to assist in resolving the apparent unwillingness of [Ukrainian] President Zelenskiy to abide by [Trump's] wishes."{{cite news |last1=Krawczyk |first1=Kathryn |title=Parnas lists explosive evidence about Trump he'd share as an impeachment witness |url=https://theweek.com/speedreads/893037/parnas-lists-explosive-evidence-about-trump-hed-share-impeachment-witness |access-date=February 1, 2020 |work=The Week |date=January 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131220012/https://theweek.com/speedreads/893037/parnas-lists-explosive-evidence-about-trump-hed-share-impeachment-witness |archive-date=January 31, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Alcindor |first1=Yamiche |title=Read Lev Parnas' letter saying he has information relevant to Trump impeachment trial |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/lev-parnas-letter-says-he-has-information-relevant-to-trump-impeachment-trial |access-date=February 1, 2020 |work=PBS NewsHour |date=January 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201001003/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/lev-parnas-letter-says-he-has-information-relevant-to-trump-impeachment-trial |archive-date=February 1, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{efn|Parnas also had information on Vice President Mike Pence, former energy secretary Rick Perry, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Attorney General William Barr, Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican Representative Devin Nunes, Nunes' aide Derek Harvey, journalist John Solomon, pro-Trump lawyers Joe diGenova and Victoria Toensing, and the pro-Trump super PAC America First.{{cite news |last1=Lederman |first1=Josh |last2=Ferri |first2=Lisa |title=Parnas names top Trump officials in letter to McConnell on potential testimony |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/parnas-names-top-trump-officials-letter-mcconnell-potential-testimony-n1127921 |access-date=February 1, 2020 |work=NBC News |date=February 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131230107/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/parnas-names-top-trump-officials-letter-mcconnell-potential-testimony-n1127921 |archive-date=January 31, 2020 |url-status=live }}}}
Officers of the trial
= Presiding officer =
File:Senator Chuck Grassley administers the oath of office to Chief Justice John Roberts.jpg administers the oath of office to Chief Justice John Roberts on January 16, 2020]]
The Chief Justice is cited in Article I, Section 3, Clause{{nbsp}}6 of the United States Constitution as the presiding officer in an impeachment trial of the President.{{cite web |title=U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 3 |url=https://www.senate.gov/civics/constitution_item/constitution.htm#a1_sec3 |publisher=United States Senate |access-date=January 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140210235825/http://www.senate.gov/civics/constitution_item/constitution.htm#a1_sec3 |archive-date=February 10, 2014 |url-status=live }} As such, Chief Justice John Roberts assumed that role and was sworn in by Senate President pro tempore Chuck Grassley on January 16, 2020. He immediately administered the oath, as required by Rule XXV, to 99 of the senators in attendance.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/house-managers-head-senate-present-read-articles-impeachment-trial-n1117001|title=Chief Justice John Roberts swears in senators for Trump's impeachment trial|last1=Shabad|first1=Rebecca|last2=Thorp|first2=Frank, V|date=January 16, 2020|work=NBC News|url-status=live|access-date=January 16, 2020|last3=Timm|first3=Jane C.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116175018/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/house-managers-head-senate-present-read-articles-impeachment-trial-n1117001|archive-date=January 16, 2020}}{{efn|Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe was attending to a family emergency, but would take the oath upon returning to DC.{{cite news |title=The Latest: Inhofe off on family matter for Trump trial open |url=https://apnews.com/article/d1befbab0ad7cb8862becfbe31ba0757 |access-date=January 26, 2020 |work=Associated Press |date=January 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200126100725/https://apnews.com/d1befbab0ad7cb8862becfbe31ba0757 |archive-date=January 26, 2020 |url-status=live }}}}
As in all parliamentary proceedings in the Senate, Justice Roberts is advised on procedural matters by Elizabeth MacDonough, Parliamentarian of the United States Senate.{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/13/john-roberts-senate-impeachment-whisperer-098050|title=John Roberts may be leading the Senate impeachment trial, but this woman is shaping it|last=Samuelsohn|first=Darren|date=January 13, 2020|website=Politico|url-status=live|access-date=January 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200120142532/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/13/john-roberts-senate-impeachment-whisperer-098050|archive-date=January 20, 2020}}
= House managers =
The House managers, who conducted the prosecution, were named by Speaker Nancy Pelosi on January 15, and formally appointed by the House of Representatives later that same day by a vote of 228–193.Multiple sources:
- {{cite web |title=Pelosi Names Impeachment Managers |url=https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/11520 |access-date=January 15, 2020 |publisher=Speaker of the United States House of Representatives |date=January 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115153148/https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/11520 |archive-date=January 15, 2020 |url-status=live }}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/14/house-vote-wednesday-to-transmit-trump-impeachment-articles-to-senate.html|title=Pelosi is set to send Trump impeachment articles to the Senate on Wednesday|last=Wilkie|first=Christina|date=January 14, 2020|publisher=CNBC|access-date=January 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115123905/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/14/house-vote-wednesday-to-transmit-trump-impeachment-articles-to-senate.html|archive-date=January 15, 2020|url-status=live}}
- {{cite news |first1=Jane C. |last1=Timm |first2=Rebecca |last2=Shabad |date=January 15, 2020 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/pelosi-calls-witnesses-trump-trial-after-new-evidence-n1116091|title=House sends impeachment articles to Senate, Pelosi names trial managers|work=NBC News|access-date=January 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115160927/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/pelosi-calls-witnesses-trump-trial-after-new-evidence-n1116091|archive-date=January 15, 2020|url-status=live}}
- {{cite web |last1=Naylor |first1=Brian |title=House Approves Impeachment Managers, Votes To Transmit Articles For Senate Trial |url=https://www.wfdd.org/story/house-approves-impeachment-managers-votes-transmit-articles-senate-trial |website=88.5 WFDD |access-date=6 April 2022 |language=en |date=15 January 2020}}
| class="wikitable" |
| †
! colspan="8" style="text-align:center; font-size:120%;" |House managers |
| scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:100%;" |Lead manager Adam Schiff (Democrat, California) ! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:100%;" |Jerry Nadler ! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:100%;" |Zoe Lofgren ! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:100%;" |{{nowrap|Hakeem Jeffries}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:100%;" |{{nowrap|Val Demings}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:100%;" |Jason Crow ! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:100%;" |Sylvia Garcia |
|---|
| File:Adam Schiff official portrait.jpg
|File:Jerry Nadler 116th Congress official portrait (cropped).jpg |File:Zoe Lofgren headshot.jpg |File:Hakeem Jeffries official portrait.jpg |File:Val Demings, Official Portrait, 115th Congress.jpg |
The seven congressmembers were chosen for their legal and national security experience and for geographic, racial, and gender diversity. Schiff had helped lead the impeachment inquiry as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, while Nadler oversaw the drafting of the articles of impeachment in the House Judiciary Committee. Lofgren had been a staffer on the Judiciary Committee during Nixon's impeachment inquiry. Jeffries is the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, the fifth-ranking member of the Democratic leadership. Demings is the former chief of police in Orlando, and is one of two Democrats on both the Intelligence and Judiciary committees. Crow was one of the "national security" freshman Democrats who co-authored an op-ed in The Washington Post calling for an impeachment inquiry. Garcia was a municipal judge in Houston.{{cite news |last=Desiderio |first=Andrew |date=January 15, 2020 |title=Meet the Democrats prosecuting Trump's impeachment |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/15/house-impeachment-managers-trump-trial-098730 |work=Politico |access-date=January 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116033221/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/15/house-impeachment-managers-trump-trial-098730 |archive-date=January 16, 2020 |url-status=live }}
= Trump counsel and congressional defense team =
The White House formally announced its Senate trial counsel as being led by White House Counsel Pat Cipollone and Jay Sekulow, alongside Ken Starr, Alan Dershowitz, Pam Bondi, Jane Raskin, Eric Herschmann, and Robert Ray on January 17.{{cite web |date=January 17, 2020 |title=Statement from the Press Secretary Announcing the President's Senate Trial Counsel |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/statement-press-secretary-announcing-presidents-senate-trial-counsel/ |access-date=January 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120200647/https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/statement-press-secretary-announcing-presidents-senate-trial-counsel/ |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |via=National Archives |work=whitehouse.gov |url-status=live }} Additionally, Michael Purpura and Patrick Philbin participated in the trial.{{cite web |date=January 18, 2020 |title=Trump's Impeachment Legal Team Includes Familiar Faces from Clinton's Trial |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-impeachment-legal-team-includes-familiar-faces-from-clinton-trial-2020-01-18/ |last=Segers |first=Grace |work=CBS News |access-date=January 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200118161011/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-impeachment-legal-team-includes-familiar-faces-from-clinton-trial-2020-01-18/ |archive-date=January 18, 2020 |url-status=live }}
On January 20, the White House named eight House Republicans to serve on Trump's defense team: Doug Collins, Mike Johnson, Jim Jordan, Debbie Lesko, Mark Meadows, John Ratcliffe, Elise Stefanik, and Lee Zeldin.{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/20/trumps-house-allies-to-help-his-defense-in-senate-101281 |first1=Anita |last1=Kumar |first2=Matthew |last2=Choi |title=Trump Recruits House Allies for His Defense |work=Politico |date=January 20, 2020 |access-date=January 21, 2020}}
| class="wikitable" |
| †
! colspan="5" style="text-align:center; font-size:120%;" |President's counsel |
| scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:100%;" |{{nowrap|White House Counsel}} Pat Cipollone ! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:100%;" |Jay Sekulow |
|---|
| File:Pat Cipollone.jpg
|File:Jay Sekulow Speaking at CPAC 2012 (6854519337) (cropped).jpg |
| Jane Raskin
! Eric Herschmann ! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:100%;" |{{nowrap|Patrick F. Philbin}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:100%;" |Michael Purpura |
| File:Blank.png |
| class="wikitable" |
| †
! colspan="4" style="text-align:center; font-size:120%;" |Congressional defense team |
| Doug Collins (Georgia) ! Mike Johnson ! Jim Jordan ! Debbie Lesko |
|---|
| File:Doug Collins, Official portrait, 113th Congress.jpg
| File:Mike Johnson, official portrait, 116th Congress.jpg |
| Mark Meadows (North Carolina) ! John Ratcliffe ! Elise Stefanik ! Lee Zeldin |
| File:Mark Meadows, Official Portrait, 113th Congress.jpg
| File:Congressman John Lee Ratcliffe.jpg |
Opening formalities
File:Representative Adam Schiff reads the Articles of Impeachment before the Senate.png before the Senate]]
File:Senator Dianne Feinstein signs the oath book.jpg signs the oath book]]
Article I, Section 3, Clause 6 of the U.S. Constitution states that "The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments." Per the Senate's impeachment rules adopted in 1986, the submission of the articles to the Senate initiated the trial.{{cite web |title=Rules of Procedure and Practice in the Senate When Sitting on Impeachment Trials |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/SMAN-113/pdf/SMAN-113-pg223.pdf |publisher=U.S. Government Publishing Office |access-date=January 3, 2020 |page=223 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215042254/https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/SMAN-113/pdf/SMAN-113-pg223.pdf |archive-date=December 15, 2019 |url-status=live }}
Speaker Pelosi signed the articles of impeachment on January 15 and gave them to the sergeant-at-arms, who along with House Clerk Cheryl Johnson, and the managers,{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/15/pelosi-appoints-impeachment-managers-for-trumps-senate-trial-099240|title=Democrats deliver impeachment articles to begin Senate trial|first1=Heather|last1=Caygle|first2=Sarah|last2=Ferris|date=January 15, 2020|work=Politico|access-date=January 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200117084745/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/15/pelosi-appoints-impeachment-managers-for-trumps-senate-trial-099240|archive-date=January 17, 2020|url-status=live}} delivered them to the Senate where Johnson entered the chamber and announced to Grassley and the Senate leadership that President Trump had indeed been impeached and must stand trial.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/senate-receives-articles-of-impeachment-from-house-ahead-of-trial|title=Senate receives articles of impeachment from House ahead of trial|date=January 16, 2020|publisher=Fox News|access-date=January 16, 2020}}{{cite web | url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/15/pelosi-appoints-impeachment-managers-for-trumps-senate-trial-099240 | title=Democrats deliver impeachment articles to begin Senate trial | website=Politico | date=January 15, 2020 }}
Once this happened, Grassley told the managers and their entourage to leave and return at noon the following day. They left and at the appointed hour repeated a version of the ceremony.{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-01-16/trump-impeach-senate-trial-ukraine |first1=Jennifer |last1=Haberkorn |first2=Sarah D. |last2=Wire |first3=Anna M. |last3=Phillips |title=Chief justice, senators sworn in as Senate begins historic impeachment trial of Trump|date=January 16, 2020|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=January 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116193007/https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-01-16/trump-impeach-senate-trial-ukraine|archive-date=January 16, 2020|url-status=live}} Some Republicans criticized Pelosi for giving congressmen the pens used to sign the articles of impeachment, which have her name printed on them. McConnell commented, "It was a transparently partisan performance from beginning to end."{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/478601-republicans-criticize-pelosi-for-gifting-pens-used-to-sign-impeachment|title=Republicans criticize Pelosi for gifting pens used to sign impeachment articles|last=Coleman|first=Justine|newspaper=The Hill|date=January 16, 2020|access-date=January 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116220359/https://thehill.com/homenews/house/478601-republicans-criticize-pelosi-for-gifting-pens-used-to-sign-impeachment|archive-date=January 16, 2020|url-status=live}}
For this trial, the Senate President pro tempore swears in the chamber's presiding officer, the Chief Justice of the United States, who then swore in all senators who will act as jurors. Each is required to take the following oath (or affirmation):
I solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that in all things appertaining to the trial of the impeachment of Donald John Trump, President of the United States, now pending, I will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws: So help me God.[https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/SMAN-113/pdf/SMAN-113-pg223.pdf Rules of Procedure and Practice in the Senate When Sitting on Impeachment Trials] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215042254/https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/SMAN-113/pdf/SMAN-113-pg223.pdf |date=December 15, 2019 }} (Rules of Procedure and Practice in the Senate When Sitting on Impeachment Trials, gpo.gov, "Revised pursuant to S. Res. 479, 99–2, Aug. 16, 1986"){{cite web |last1=Hurd |first1=Hilary |last2=Wittes |first2=Benjamin |title=Imagining a Senate Trial: Reading the Senate Rules of Impeachment Litigation |url=https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/imagining-senate-trial-reading-senate-rules-impeachment-litigation |website=Lawfare |access-date=December 30, 2019 |date=December 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926185329/https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/imagining-senate-trial-reading-senate-rules-impeachment-litigation |archive-date=September 26, 2023 |url-status=live}}
The Senate sergeant-at-arms, Michael Stenger, then read aloud the following proclamation to mark the beginning of the proceedings:
Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! All persons are commanded to keep silent, on pain of imprisonment, while the House of Representatives is exhibiting to the Senate of the United States articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States.
With the ceremonial beginning over, the Senate adjourned for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day recess beginning the following day.{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-senate-impeachment-trial-just-formally-begins-2020-1|title=Trump's Senate impeachment trial formally begins|last=Relman|first=Eliza|date=January 16, 2020|website=Business Insider|url-status=live|access-date=January 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200117015125/https://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-senate-impeachment-trial-just-formally-begins-2020-1|archive-date=January 17, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/01/16/796758960/senators-to-be-sworn-in-for-trump-impeachment-trial|title=Senators Swear To Render 'Impartial Justice' In Impeachment Trial|last=Naylor|first=Brian|date=January 16, 2020|publisher=NPR|url-status=live|access-date=January 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116101025/https://www.npr.org/2020/01/16/796758960/senators-to-be-sworn-in-for-trump-impeachment-trial|archive-date=January 16, 2020}} In the meantime, the Senate chamber was modified to resemble a courtroom.{{cite news |first=Michael D. |last=Shear |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/17/us/politics/senate-impeachment-trial-furniture.html |title=Dust Off the Impeachment Tables, a Senate Trial Is Underway |work=The New York Times |date=January 17, 2020 |access-date=January 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200119034644/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/17/us/politics/senate-impeachment-trial-furniture.html |archive-date=January 19, 2020 |url-status=live }} The House impeachment managers began their opening presentation at 1:00{{nbsp}}p.m. EST on January 22.{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/senators-to-be-sworn-in-as-trump-impeachment-trial-begins-11579177831|title=Senators Sworn In as Trump Impeachment Trial Begins|last=Wise|first=Lindsay|date=January 16, 2020|website=The Wall Street Journal|url-status=live|access-date=January 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116132743/https://www.wsj.com/articles/senators-to-be-sworn-in-as-trump-impeachment-trial-begins-11579177831|archive-date=January 16, 2020}}
Trial memoranda and responses
{{multiple image|perrow = 3
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|image1=Trial Memorandum Of The United States House Of Representatives In The Impeachment Trial Of President Donald J. Trump.pdf
|caption1=Trial Memorandum of the House of Representatives
|image2=Answer-of-President-Donald-J.-Trump.pdf
|caption2=Answer of President Trump to the Trial Memorandum of the House of Representatives
|image3=Replication Of The United States House Of Representatives To The Answer Of President Donald J. Trump To The Articles Of Impeachment.pdf
|caption3=Replication of the House of Representatives to the Answer of President Trump
|image4=Trial Memorandum Of President Donald J. Trump.pdf
|caption4=Trial Memorandum of President Donald Trump
|image5=Answer of the House of Representatives to the Trial Memorandum of President Donald Trump.pdf
|caption5=Answer of the House of Representatives to the Trial Memorandum of President Donald Trump
}}
On January 18, 2020, the House trial managers released a 111-page trial memorandum, which included new evidence from after Trump was impeached, such as the Government Accountability Office's conclusion that it was illegal for the Trump administration to have withheld military aid to Ukraine without informing Congress—a violation of the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. Trump attorneys released a six-page response to the articles of impeachment, criticizing what they described as a "lawless process", while not directly addressing the allegations that Trump withheld military aid and a White House meeting from Ukraine in an attempt to have Ukraine announce investigations of Joe Biden and Hunter Biden.{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/18/trump-impeachment-response-house-charges-100791|title='Brazen and unlawful': Trump team attacks House impeachment effort in first formal response|work=Politico|first1=Darren|last1=Samuelsohn|first2=Kyle|last2=Cheney|first3=Anita|last3=Kumar|date=January 18, 2020|access-date=January 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200118222016/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/18/trump-impeachment-response-house-charges-100791|archive-date=January 18, 2020|url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Itkowiz |first1=Colby |last2=DeBonis |first2=Mike |title=House Democrats say Senate 'must eliminate the threat' that the president poses to national security |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/house-democrats-say-senate-must-eliminate-the-threat-that-the-president-poses-to-americas-national-security/2020/01/18/c845ec04-3a03-11ea-bb7b-265f4554af6d_story.html |access-date=January 21, 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200119001137/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/house-democrats-say-senate-must-eliminate-the-threat-that-the-president-poses-to-americas-national-security/2020/01/18/c845ec04-3a03-11ea-bb7b-265f4554af6d_story.html |archive-date=January 19, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Rosen |first1=James |title=Democrats, Trump spar in pre-trial impeachment filings |url=https://abc6onyourside.com/news/connect-to-congress/democrats-trump-spar-in-pre-trial-impeachment-filings |access-date=January 21, 2020 |work=Sinclair Broadcast Group |date=January 21, 2020}} On January 20, House trial managers released a 9-page rebuttal to the original Trump response, rejecting the claim that Trump cannot be removed from office "even if the House proves every claim in the Articles of impeachment", as they argued that the Constitution "allows the Senate to remove Presidents who, like President Trump, abuse their power to cheat in elections, betray our national security, and ignore checks and balances".{{cite news |last1=Lillis |first1=Mike |last2=Beavers |first2=Olivia |title=Democrats push back on White House impeachment claims, saying Trump believes he is above the law |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/479047-democrats-push-back-on-white-house-impeachment-claims-saying-trump-believes-he |access-date=January 21, 2020 |work=The Hill |date=January 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200120182017/https://thehill.com/homenews/house/479047-democrats-push-back-on-white-house-impeachment-claims-saying-trump-believes-he |archive-date=January 20, 2020 |url-status=live}}
Also on January 20, Trump attorneys released a 110-page trial memorandum.{{cite web|url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-calls-impeachment-charges-frivolous-and-dangerous-in-legal-brief-11579541826|title= White House Calls Impeachment Charges 'Frivolous' and 'Dangerous' in Legal Brief|date= January 20, 2020|website=The Wall Street Journal|access-date= January 21, 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200120223054/https://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-calls-impeachment-charges-frivolous-and-dangerous-in-legal-brief-11579541826|archive-date= January 20, 2020|url-status= live}} The memorandum asserted the impeachment was illegitimate and the president should be immediately acquitted because he was not accused of violating any specific law and that abuse of power is not in itself an impeachable offense. This reasoning had been previously rejected by legal scholars,Multiple sources:
- {{cite web |title=Letter to Congress from Legal Scholars |date=December 6, 2019 |quote=conduct need not be criminal to be impeachable{{nbsp}}... Impeachment is a remedy for grave abuses of the public trust. |url=https://medium.com/@legalscholarsonimpeachment/letter-to-congress-from-legal-scholars-6c18b5b6d116 |via=Medium.com |access-date=February 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206075959/https://medium.com/@legalscholarsonimpeachment/letter-to-congress-from-legal-scholars-6c18b5b6d116 |archive-date=February 6, 2020 |url-status=live }}
- {{cite web|title=Historians; statement on the impeachment of President Trump|date=December 17, 2019|quote=President Trump's numerous and flagrant abuses of power are precisely what the Framers had in mind as grounds for impeaching and removing a president.|url=https://medium.com/@historiansonimpeachment/historians-statement-on-the-impeachment-of-president-trump-6e4ed2277b16|via=Medium.com|access-date=February 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200104023809/https://medium.com/@historiansonimpeachment/historians-statement-on-the-impeachment-of-president-trump-6e4ed2277b16|archive-date=January 4, 2020|url-status=live}}
- {{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=Marshall |title=Legal scholars pan Alan Dershowitz's defense of Trump |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/20/politics/dershowitz-trump-legal-analysis/index.html |access-date=February 3, 2020 |work=CNN |date=January 20, 2020 |quote=Legal scholars are panning new arguments championed by Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz, who recently joined President Donald Trump's legal team and is making the case that Trump cannot be impeached because he didn't commit any crimes. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202025345/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/20/politics/dershowitz-trump-legal-analysis/index.html |archive-date=February 2, 2020 |url-status=live }}
- {{cite news |last1=Ackerman |first1=Bruce |title=Trump's Lawyers Are Getting Andrew Johnson's Impeachment All Wrong |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/01/25/trump-impeachment-andrew-johnson-104066 |date=January 25, 2020 |access-date=February 3, 2020 |work=Politico |quote=Dershowitz has said he will argue, based on a narrow reading of the Constitution's phrase "Treason, Bribery or other High Crimes and Misdemeanors", that there must be proof that Trump committed a crime or seriously violated the law, and that the mere "abuse of executive power" does not suffice, in order to convict the president at his impeachment trial. Dershowitz's view has been overwhelmingly rejected by serious constitutional scholars. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202025331/https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/01/25/trump-impeachment-andrew-johnson-104066 |archive-date=February 2, 2020 |url-status=live }}
- {{cite news |last1=Weber |first1=Peter |title=Alan Dershowitz's novel constitutional case against Trump's impeachment relies on a thesaurus |url=https://theweek.com/speedreads/892583/alan-dershowitzs-novel-constitutional-case-against-trumps-impeachment-relies-thesaurus |access-date=February 3, 2020 |work=The Week |date=January 30, 2020 |quote=Dershowitz is an expert in criminal law and a famous defense lawyer. Almost all constitutional scholars disagree with his views on impeachment. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202025332/https://theweek.com/speedreads/892583/alan-dershowitzs-novel-constitutional-case-against-trumps-impeachment-relies-thesaurus |archive-date=February 2, 2020 |url-status=live }}
- {{cite news |last1=Woodward |first1=Calvin |last2=Yen |first2=Hope |title=AP FACT CHECK: Distortions in Trump's legal defense |url=https://apnews.com/article/edc86daef497ec66e87f86ffe5d5b1e4 |access-date=February 3, 2020 |date=January 21, 2020 |work=Associated Press |quote=Constitutional scholars say the grounds for impeachment and removal from office—"Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors"—are a catch-all designed to redress any consequential abuse of power so long as that abuse hurts the country at large. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128011754/https://apnews.com/edc86daef497ec66e87f86ffe5d5b1e4 |archive-date=January 28, 2020 |url-status=live }}
- {{cite news |last1=Msytal |first1=Elie |title=The Trump Team's Legal Defense Was a Tour de Force of Hypocrisy |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/impeachment-gop-lawyers/ |access-date=February 3, 2020 |work=The Nation |quote=And finally, Alan Dershowtiz [sic] argued that abuse of power is not an impeachable offense, while self-owning the fact that essentially no credible legal scholars agree with him. |date=January 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202025331/https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/impeachment-gop-lawyers/ |archive-date=February 2, 2020 |url-status=live }} and contradicts a 2018 statement by Trump's attorney general Bill Barr, who before taking office wrote a memo to Trump's Justice Department and legal team advising that abuse of power is an impeachable offense.{{cite news |last=Savage |first=Charlie |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/21/us/politics/barr-impeachment-abuse-of-power.html |title=Barr Once Contradicted Trump's Claim That Abuse of Power Is Not Impeachable |date=January 21, 2020 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=January 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200122160458/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/21/us/politics/barr-impeachment-abuse-of-power.html |archive-date=January 22, 2020 |url-status=live }} As a Trump legal team member, prominent constitutional scholar Alan Dershowitz also argued that proof of a crime is required to impeach a president, though during the 1998 impeachment of President Clinton he asserted, "It certainly doesn't have to be a crime if you have somebody who completely corrupts the office of president and who abuses trust and who poses great danger to our liberty. You don't need a technical crime," adding, "We look at their acts of state. We look at how they conduct the foreign policy. We look at whether they try to subvert the Constitution." After the video of his statements resurfaced in light of the Trump trial, Dershowitz retracted his earlier position.{{cite news |last=Vazquez |first=Maegan |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/20/politics/alan-dershowitz-trump-defense-criminal-like-conduct/index.html |title=Alan Dershowitz once said you can be impeached without committing a crime |work=CNN |date=January 20, 2020 |access-date=January 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200122165939/https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/20/politics/alan-dershowitz-trump-defense-criminal-like-conduct/index.html |archive-date=January 22, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/alan-dershowitz-trump-senate-impeachment-legal |first=Nick |last=Givas |title=Alan Dershowitz: 'I retract' 1998 claim no 'technical crime' required for impeachment |publisher=Fox News |date=January 20, 2020 |access-date=January 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200122163206/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/alan-dershowitz-trump-senate-impeachment-legal |archive-date=January 22, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{better source needed|date=February 2020}} On January 21, House trial managers released a 34-page response to the Trump attorneys trial memo, where they stated that the Trump attorneys trial memo was "heavy on rhetoric and procedural grievances" but did not feature a "legitimate defense" of the president.{{cite news |title=Democrats argue Trump brief 'lacks a legitimate defense of his misconduct' |url=https://www.axios.com/trump-impeachment-trial-house-managers-reply-brief-4953a784-4535-40d5-8e9a-8ca1b725d050.html |access-date=January 29, 2020 |work=Axios |date=January 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129041145/https://www.axios.com/trump-impeachment-trial-house-managers-reply-brief-4953a784-4535-40d5-8e9a-8ca1b725d050.html |archive-date=January 29, 2020 |url-status=live }} The House trial managers also argued that "any imagined defect" in the House's procedures could be addressed with the Senate admitting and receiving evidence of its own, to give Trump the fair trial he requested.{{cite news |last1=Quinn |first1=Melissa |title=House managers: Senate should reject Trump's "bluster and evasion" |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/trump-impeachment-trial-senate-proceedings-set-to-begin-as-rules-come-into-focus-2019-01-21/ |access-date=January 29, 2020 |work=CBS News |date=January 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200129034140/https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/trump-impeachment-trial-senate-proceedings-set-to-begin-as-rules-come-into-focus-2019-01-21/ |archive-date=January 29, 2020 |url-status=live }}
Procedural resolution and debate
On January 20, McConnell presented a resolution providing procedures for the trial, subject to approval by a simple majority vote. The resolution provided the White House counsel and House impeachment managers 24 hours each over two days to make opening statements, beginning at 1:00 p.m. each day. The next day, the resolution was amended to extend opening statements to three days.{{Cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-impeachment-trial-01-21-20/h_0ef5b996a99c7b9e6ccc7f4d2cce0b90|title=JUST IN: Each side will get 24 hours over 3 days for opening arguments|first1=Meg|last1=Wagner|first2=Veronica|last2=Rocha|date=January 21, 2020|publisher=CNN}} Opening statements were to be followed by 16 hours of questions and answers, followed by four hours of debate and a vote on whether to consider witnesses or new information. Minority leader Schumer criticized the resolution as a "national disgrace" because it did not automatically include evidence from the House inquiry and rushed the trial, while the White House was pleased with the proposal. The next day, McConnell amended his resolution to automatically include the House inquiry evidence unless a simple majority vote prohibited it.{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/21/politics/senate-impeachment-trial-day-1/index.html|title=Senate impeachment trial: Republicans vote to kill Democratic amendments seeking documents |date=January 22, 2020 |first1=Jeremy |last1=Herb |first2=Phil |last2=Mattingly |first3=Manu |last3=Raju |work=CNN}} The White House and its Senate allies were confident they could garner the simple majority needed to prevent calling witnesses, though they worked on a fallback plan if Bolton was compelled to testify by asserting national security concerns to move his testimony to a closed-door session.{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/20/senate-republicans-plan-speedy-trump-trial-101262|title=Senate Republicans plan speedy Trump trial|work=Politico|first1=Burgess|last1=Everett|first2=Marianne|last2=Levine|date=January 20, 2020|access-date=January 20, 2020}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-lawyers-senate-gop-allies-work-privately-to-ensure-bolton-does-not-testify-publicly/2020/01/20/cbc67ef0-3bae-11ea-8872-5df698785a4e_story.html |title=Trump's lawyers, Senate GOP allies work privately to ensure Bolton does not testify publicly |first1=Robert |last1=Costa |first2=Rachael |last2=Bade | author-link2 = Rachael Bade|newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 20, 2020 |access-date=January 20, 2020 }} Some conservatives floated a proposal to permit Bolton's testimony in exchange for requiring Hunter Biden to testify, which Democrats rejected.{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/479393-democrats-shoot-down-talk-of-bolton-hunter-biden-witness-swap|title=Democrats shoot down talk of Bolton, Hunter Biden witness swap|first=Regina|last=Zilbermints|date=January 22, 2020|website=The Hill|access-date=January 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200122224819/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/479393-democrats-shoot-down-talk-of-bolton-hunter-biden-witness-swap|archive-date=January 22, 2020|url-status=live}} {{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-impeachment-trial-01-22-20/h_a37f88849b05b58b8e4d349d09dcfd4d|title=Schiff pans trial witness trade idea: 'This isn't a fantasy football trade'|first1=Meg|last1=Wagner|first2=Mike|last2=Hayes|first3=Veronica|last3=Rocha|date=January 22, 2020|publisher=CNN|access-date=January 22, 2020}} Biden had been the subject of baseless conspiracy theories related to his business activities in Ukraine.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/world/2019/10/10/trumps-biden-ukraine-natural-gas-conspiracy-theory-false-but-alive/3851728002/|title=Trump's conspiracy theories thrive in Ukraine, where a young democracy battles corruption and distrust|work=USA Today|first=Kim|last=Hjelmgaard|date=October 11, 2019|access-date=January 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200121162303/https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/world/2019/10/10/trumps-biden-ukraine-natural-gas-conspiracy-theory-false-but-alive/3851728002/|archive-date=January 21, 2020|url-status=live}} {{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/there-s-no-evidence-trump-s-biden-ukraine-accusations-what-n1057851|title=There's no evidence for Trump's Biden-Ukraine accusations. What really happened?|work=NBC News|date=September 25, 2019|last=Timm|first=Jane C.|access-date=January 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190929202945/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/there-s-no-evidence-trump-s-biden-ukraine-accusations-what-n1057851|archive-date=September 29, 2019|url-status=live}}
On January 21, Schumer and the House managers introduced 11 amendments to McConnell's resolution, which sought to subpoena testimony from current and former White House officials (Mick Mulvaney, John Bolton, Robert Blair, and Michael Duffey) and also subpoena White House, State Department, and Office of Management and Budget documents.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-impeachment-idUSKBN1ZK0Y0|title=Senate approves Trump impeachment trial plan, rejects Democrats on documents, witnesses|date=January 22, 2020|work=Reuters|first1=Susan|last1=Cornwall|first2=David|last2=Morgan|access-date=January 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200122184539/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-impeachment-idUSKBN1ZK0Y0|archive-date=January 22, 2020|url-status=live}} The White House and the State Department previously refused to pass such documents to House investigators.{{cite news |last1=Wells |first1=Peter |last2=Rocco |first2=Matthew |last3=Badkar |first3=Mamta |last4=McCormick |first4=Myles |last5=Rovnick |first5=Naomi |title=Trump impeachment trial—Day 1 as it happened |url=https://www.ft.com/content/2b484ac4-434d-30aa-8d84-6653a9ff06bd |access-date=January 29, 2020 |work=Financial Times |date=January 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200129030551/https://www.ft.com/content/2b484ac4-434d-30aa-8d84-6653a9ff06bd |archive-date=January 29, 2020 |quote=Mr Schumer's amendment would have forced the White House to turn over emails, memos and other documents related to efforts by Mr. Trump and his aides to coerce Kyiv into investigating the president's political rivals—documents that the White House refused to turn over during the House investigation. The State Department documents were also withheld by the Trump administration from House's impeachment proceedings. |url-status=live }} All 11 amendments were tabled (rejected).{{cite news|last1=Faulders|first1=Katherine|last2=Turner|first2=Trish|last3=Siegel|first3=Benjamin |last4=Ebbs|first4=Stephanie|last5=Owen|first5=Quinn|title=Trump impeachment: GOP-led Senate rejects amendments, approves rules of trial |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-impeachment-trial-live-updates-senate-rejects-democrats/story?id=68410003|work=ABC News |date=January 21, 2020|access-date=January 22, 2020}} With the exception of a single amendment to extend the amount of time permitted to file motions, which was supported by Republican senator Susan Collins, the amendments were defeated along party lines with a vote of 53 to 47.{{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/2020/1/22/21075732/impeachment-rules-senate-republicans-witnesses|title=Senate Republicans have officially passed rules for the impeachment trial. Here's what comes next.|last=Zhou|first=Li|date=January 22, 2020|website=Vox|access-date=January 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200123132403/https://www.vox.com/2020/1/22/21075732/impeachment-rules-senate-republicans-witnesses|archive-date=January 23, 2020|url-status=live}}
Also on January 21, Sekulow drew a parallel between Trump withholding aid to Ukraine and President Obama withholding aid to Egypt in 2013. In the latter case, Egypt had just experienced a military coup d'etat, which under U.S. law required aid to be withheld.{{cite web|website=PolitiFact|url=https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2020/jan/28/jay-sekulow/trump-lawyer-sekulow-says-trumps-hold-ukraine-aid-/|title=Trump lawyer Sekulow says Trump's hold on Ukraine aid is like Obama with Egypt in 2013. He's wrong.|first=Jon|last=Greenberg|access-date=January 28, 2020|date=January 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128215656/https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2020/jan/28/jay-sekulow/trump-lawyer-sekulow-says-trumps-hold-ukraine-aid-/|archive-date=January 28, 2020|url-status=live}}
On January 22, Trump gave public comments on his impeachment trial: "I thought our team did a very good job. But honestly, we have all the material. They don't have the material." The White House denied Trump was referring to documents that had been withheld from House impeachment investigators and sought by the Democratic trial managers.{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/479584-white-house-says-trump-wasnt-boasting-about-withholding-material-from|title=White House says Trump wasn't boasting about withholding material from Congress|first=Regina|last=Zilbermints|date=January 23, 2020|website=The Hill|access-date=January 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200123224418/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/479584-white-house-says-trump-wasnt-boasting-about-withholding-material-from|archive-date=January 23, 2020|url-status=live}} The following day, Sekulow told reporters, "the White House will use, and we will use, appropriate documents that will be admissible to what this record is."{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/live-blog/live-trump-impeachment-senate-trial-coverage-n1119061/ncrd1121491|date=January 23, 2020|title=Sekulow says White House could use documents it withheld from the House last year|first=Julie|last=Tsirkin|work=NBC News|access-date=January 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200126160327/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/live-blog/live-trump-impeachment-senate-trial-coverage-n1119061/ncrd1121491|archive-date=January 26, 2020|url-status=live}}
During statements in the Senate chamber regarding trial procedures, Trump attorneys Cipollone and Sekulow made significant false statements which had previously been asserted by Trump supporters but debunked. Cipollone asserted that Republican House members were not allowed to participate in closed-door hearings, when in fact all Republicans who were members of the three investigating committees were entitled to attend the hearings, and many did and questioned witnesses. Cipollone also accused Adam Schiff of manufacturing a fake transcript of Trump's comments during the Trump–Zelenskyy phone call, but Schiff had said in advance that he was paraphrasing Trump's words. Cipollone also misrepresented the genesis of the president's impeachment, falsely asserting that Schiff proceeded with his investigation despite knowing his allegations were false. Sekulow asserted that Trump was denied the right to cross-examine witnesses, examine the evidence, or have an attorney present during Judiciary Committee proceedings, though the White House was invited to exercise those rights, but declined, as the president had refused to cooperate in any way with the inquiry. Sekulow also falsely asserted that the Mueller Report had concluded that Trump did not engage in obstruction of justice.Multiple sources:
- {{Cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/ffc57a10c14a09fe1a459adc065bab18 |first1=Hope |last1=Yen |first2=Eric |last2=Tucker |title=AP FACT CHECK: Trump defense misrepresents Mueller findings |date=January 21, 2020 |website=AP News |access-date=January 22, 2020 }}
- {{Cite news|url=https://www.vox.com/2020/1/21/21075791/trump-impeachment-lawyers-jay-sekulow-pat-cipollone-opening-statement|title=Trump's lawyers began the impeachment trial with a blizzard of lies|first=Aaron|last=Rupar|date=January 21, 2020|website=Vox|access-date=January 22, 2020}}
- {{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/live-blog/live-trump-impeachment-senate-trial-coverage-n1119061/ncrd1119626|title=Fact check: White House lawyer omits whistleblower, flubs impeachment timeline|first=Jane C.|last=Timm|work=NBC News|date=January 21, 2020|access-date=January 22, 2020}}
- {{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-impeachment-trial-01-21-20/h_3db28f076fd5426cebcbed2feaaf3e57|title=Fact check: White House counsel falsely claims Republicans weren't allowed into closed hearings|first1=Meg|last1=Wagner|first2=Mike|last2=Hayes|first3=Veronica|last3=Rocha|date=January 21, 2020|publisher=CNN|access-date=January 22, 2020}}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/jan/21/pat-cipollone/senate-trial-pat-cipollone-was-wrong-gop-access-sc/|first=Louis|last=Jacobson|title=Pat Cipollone wrong on GOP access to SCIF depositions|website=PolitiFact|date=January 21, 2020|access-date=January 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203213022/https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/jan/21/pat-cipollone/senate-trial-pat-cipollone-was-wrong-gop-access-sc/|archive-date=February 3, 2020|url-status=live}}
- {{cite web |last1=Kiely |first1=Eugene |last2=Robertson |first2=Lori |last3=Gore |first3=D'Angelo |url=https://www.factcheck.org/2020/01/false-and-misleading-claims-at-impeachment-trial/ |title=False and Misleading Claims at Impeachment Trial |publisher=FactCheck.org |date=January 22, 2020 |access-date=January 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200123002118/https://www.factcheck.org/2020/01/false-and-misleading-claims-at-impeachment-trial/ |archive-date=January 23, 2020 |url-status=live }}
Opening arguments
= Prosecution =
== January 22 ==
On January 22, the first day of opening arguments, Democrats presented evidence from House impeachment inquiry testimony, the Trump–Zelenskyy phone call and Trump's statements. Schiff started by asserting that Trump needs to be removed from office because he has shown he is ready and willing to cheat in the 2020 elections. Schiff told the Senate, "The president's misconduct cannot be decided at the ballot box because we cannot be assured the vote will be fairly won." Schumer called the previous evening a "dark night for the Senate", when the White House, in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, released new evidence including a string of heavily redacted emails revealing details about how the Office of Management and Budget froze aid to Ukraine.{{Cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/senate-impeachment-trial-live-updates-democrats-make-case/story?id=68448840|title=Senate impeachment trial live updates: Democrats make their case against Trump|work=ABC News|first1=Benjamin|last1=Siegel|first2=Trish|last2=Turner|first3=Katherine|last3=Faulders|first4=Stephanie|last4=Ebbs|first5=Quinn|last5=Owen|date=January 22, 2020|access-date=February 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200122210012/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/senate-impeachment-trial-live-updates-democrats-make-case/story?id=68448840|archive-date=January 22, 2020|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/22/us/politics/ukraine-aid.html|title=Emails Show Budget Office Working to Carry Out Ukraine Aid Freeze|first=Eric|last=Lipton|date=January 22, 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200122220304/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/22/us/politics/ukraine-aid.html|archive-date=January 22, 2020|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/479311-trump-admin-releases-trove-of-documents-on-ukrainian-military-aid|title=Trump admin releases trove of documents on Ukrainian military aid|first=Justin|last=Wise|date=January 22, 2020|website=The Hill|access-date=February 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200122175738/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/479311-trump-admin-releases-trove-of-documents-on-ukrainian-military-aid|archive-date=January 22, 2020|url-status=live}}{{efn|The night after the Senate voted against subpoenaing witnesses in the trial, the Justice Department and a lawyer for the Office of Management and Budget acknowledged that some of the emails which remain undisclosed due to executive privilege contain details about why military aid to Ukraine was frozen.{{cite news |last1=Itkowitz |first1=Colby |title=Justice Department acknowledges 24 emails reveal Trump's thinking on Ukraine |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/justice-dept-acknowledges-24-emails-reveal-trumps-thinking-on-ukraine/2020/02/01/7deea84c-450e-11ea-b503-2b077c436617_story.html |access-date=February 2, 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=February 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202010322/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/justice-dept-acknowledges-24-emails-reveal-trumps-thinking-on-ukraine/2020/02/01/7deea84c-450e-11ea-b503-2b077c436617_story.html |archive-date=February 2, 2020 |url-status=live }}}} Jerry Nadler and Sylvia Garcia discussed Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani's smear campaign against Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch. Jason Crow and Hakeem Jeffries discussed the significance of the Trump–Zelenskyy phone call, and Schiff and Zoe Lofgren detailed how the scheme was exposed to the public. Lofgren mentioned that Pentagon officials wrote to the Office of Management and Budget warning that freezing aid to Ukraine might be illegal. Schiff concluded by pointing to the courage of administration officials who risked their careers in testifying and called upon senators to show equal courage.{{cite web|work=NBC News|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/trump-s-senate-impeachment-trial-what-happened-day-2-n1120576|title=Senate Impeachment Trial: What happened at the Trump impeachment trial on Day 2|first=Dareh|last=Gregorian|date=January 22, 2020|access-date=January 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130001732/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/trump-s-senate-impeachment-trial-what-happened-day-2-n1120576|archive-date=January 30, 2020|url-status=live}}{{cite web|website=Business Insider|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-impeachment-trial-opening-arguments-live-updates-2020-1#schiff-details-how-trumps-own-officials-made-the-case-against-him-24|title=House prosecutors wrap day one of opening arguments in Trump's impeachment trial by imploring the Senate to choose country over party|first=Sonam|last=Sheth|date=January 22, 2020|access-date=January 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200122182012/https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-impeachment-trial-opening-arguments-live-updates-2020-1#schiff-details-how-trumps-own-officials-made-the-case-against-him-24|archive-date=January 22, 2020|url-status=live}}
An estimated eleven million viewers tuned in to watch the proceedings.{{cite web|publisher=Al Jazeera|title=Trump impeachment trial day three: All the latest updates|date=January 22, 2020|access-date=February 2, 2020|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/trump-impeachment-trial-day-latest-updates-200122140252975.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202114330/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/trump-impeachment-trial-day-latest-updates-200122140252975.html|archive-date=February 2, 2020|url-status=live}}
During his statements, Schiff referenced a quid pro quo in Trump's actions. Outside the Senate chamber, Sekulow told reporters the articles of impeachment do not mention any quid pro quo,{{cite web |last=Feldman |first=Josh |url=https://www.mediaite.com/tv/jake-tapper-calls-out-jay-sekulow-for-factually-not-accurate-impeachment-claim-spreading-a-lot-of-misinformation/ |title=Jake Tapper Calls Out Jay Sekulow Impeachment Claim |publisher=Mediaite |date=January 22, 2020 |access-date=January 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200123082422/https://www.mediaite.com/tv/jake-tapper-calls-out-jay-sekulow-for-factually-not-accurate-impeachment-claim-spreading-a-lot-of-misinformation/ |archive-date=January 23, 2020 |url-status=live }} though Article I states that Trump had "conditioned two official acts on the public announcements that he had requested" without using the expression quid pro quo.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/10/us/politics/articles-impeachment-document-pdf.html |title=Read the Articles of Impeachment Against President Trump |work=The New York Times |date=December 13, 2019 |access-date=January 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210175423/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/10/us/politics/articles-impeachment-document-pdf.html |archive-date=December 10, 2019 |url-status=live }} After the session, Justice Roberts allowed a page of supplementary testimony from an aide of Vice President Mike Pence to be admitted into the record.
== January 23 ==
On day two, House managers presented arguments to assert the evidence warranted Trump's removal from office. Jerry Nadler argued that abuse, betrayal, and corruption, or the "ABCs" of impeachment make a strong case for removal. He played videos from the impeachment trial of Bill Clinton showing statements by Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican, South Carolina) and lawyer Alan Dershowitz arguing that impeachment does not necessitate the breaking of a law; Graham absented himself during the showing of the video. They also played videos of Fiona Hill and FBI director Chris Wray to debunk the notion that Ukraine, rather than Russia, interfered in the 2016 United States presidential election. Sylvia Garcia and Adam Schiff argued several points to highlight why Trump's activities were inappropriate, including that he was not looking for an actual investigation but only an announcement of one, that the investigations were not official foreign policy and were carried out through unofficial channels, and that the White House first tried to bury the call. They pointed out that Trump himself told us he was looking for an investigation into the Bidens. They also pointed out that Vice President Biden pushed out Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin because he was not fighting corruption in Ukraine, and his ouster was backed by international organizations.{{efn|In March 2016 testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, former ambassador to Ukraine John E. Herbst said, "By late fall of 2015, the EU and the United States joined the chorus of those seeking Mr. Shokin's removal" and that Joe Biden "spoke publicly about this before and during his December visit to Kyiv".{{cite web|url=https://www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/031516_Herbst_Testimony.pdf|title=The Double Challenge to Ukraine: Kremlin Aggression and Reform|date=March 15, 2016|publisher=US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation|access-date=January 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217222719/https://www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/031516_Herbst_Testimony.pdf|archive-date=December 17, 2019|url-status=live}} During the same hearing, assistant secretary of state Victoria Nuland said, "we have pegged our next $1{{nbsp}}billion loan guarantee, first and foremost, to having a rebooting of the reform coalition so that we know who we are working with, but secondarily, to ensuring that the prosecutor general's office gets cleaned up."{{cite web|url=https://www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/03%2015%2016%20Ukrainian%20Reforms%20Two%20Years%20After%20the%20Maidan%20Revolution%20and%20the%20Russian%20Invasion.pdf#page=11|title=Ukrainian Reforms Two Years after the Maidan Revolution and the Russian Invasion|last=Committee on Foreign Relations|date=March 15, 2016|website=United States Senate|publisher=U.S. Government Publishing Office|pages=11–12|url-status=live|access-date=January 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119210006/https://www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/03%2015%2016%20Ukrainian%20Reforms%20Two%20Years%20After%20the%20Maidan%20Revolution%20and%20the%20Russian%20Invasion.pdf#page=11|archive-date=November 19, 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/01/30/gop-senators-know-trumps-defense-is-based-lies-heres-proof/|title=GOP senators know Trump's defense is based on lies. Here's proof|last=Sargent|first=Greg|date=January 30, 2020|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=January 31, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130162510/https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/01/30/gop-senators-know-trumps-defense-is-based-lies-heres-proof/|archive-date=January 30, 2020}}}} Schiff concluded by arguing that Trump cannot be counted on to stand up to the Russians if they interfere in the 2020 presidential election.{{cite web|website=USA Today|title=Democrats take impeachment back to 1999 and other moments from the Senate trial|first=Jeanine|last=Santucci|date=January 23, 2020|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/01/23/trump-impeachment-trial-highlights-day-2-democrats-arguments/4554052002/|access-date=January 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125042508/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/01/23/trump-impeachment-trial-highlights-day-2-democrats-arguments/4554052002/|archive-date=January 25, 2020|url-status=live}}{{cite news |date=January 23, 2020 |work=NBC News |title=Trump's Senate impeachment trial: What happened on Day Three |first=Dareh |last=Gregorian |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/trump-s-senate-impeachment-trial-what-happened-day-three-n1121616 |access-date=January 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128030713/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/trump-s-senate-impeachment-trial-what-happened-day-three-n1121616 |archive-date=January 28, 2020 |url-status=live }}
Despite strict rules of silence during the trial, Senator Graham chuckled through the presentation about Biden and he whispered to Senators John Barrasso (Republican, Wyoming) and John Cornyn (Republican, Texas). At the end of the day, Susan Collins sent a note to Chief Justice Roberts complaining about Nadler's remarks that senators would be complicit in a coverup if they did not allow testimony from additional witness. Senators Richard Burr (Republican, North Carolina), Tom Cotton (Republican, Arkansas), and Pat Toomey (Republican, Pennsylvania) played with toys while Marsha Blackburn (Republican, Tennessee) read a book during the session.
== January 24 ==
On their third and final day, the Democrats discussed how they expected the Trump defense might respond and asked the Senate to call witnesses. Jerry Nadler called Trump a dictator and said, "The president has declared himself above the law. He has done so because he is guilty." He contrasted Trump's complete stonewalling of any witness or documents with the cooperation other presidents have offered during investigations, including Ronald Reagan during the Iran–Contra affair. Schiff rebuffed Republican arguments that House Democrats should have subpoenaed witness by pointing out that the process would probably have dragged out in the courts for months.{{cite news |first=Dareh |last=Gregorian |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/trump-s-senate-impeachment-trial-what-happened-day-four-n1122471 |title=Trump's Senate impeachment trial: What happened on Day Four |work=NBC News |date=January 24, 2020 |access-date=January 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128030307/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/trump-s-senate-impeachment-trial-what-happened-day-four-n1122471 |archive-date=January 28, 2020 |url-status=live }} Schiff concluded, "Give America a fair trial. She's worth it."{{cite web|work=CBS News|title=Impeachment trial: Democrats finish opening arguments|date=January 24, 2020|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/impeachment-trial-trump-day-4-house-managers-2020-01-24/|access-date=January 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128014815/https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/impeachment-trial-trump-day-4-house-managers-2020-01-24/|archive-date=January 28, 2020|url-status=live}}
Some Republicans remarked that the Democrats' presentations were repetitive, though Democratic senator Tim Kaine indicated this was intentional as many senators and the public had not closely followed the impeachment inquiry. Republican senator John Kennedy acknowledged, "Senators didn't know the case. They really didn't. We didn't stay glued to the television. We haven't read the transcripts."{{cite news |first=Sheryl Gay |last=Stolberg |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/us/politics/democrats-trump-impeachment-trial.html |title=Democrats Seek to Pre-empt Trump's Defense in Impeachment Trial |work=The New York Times |date=January 23, 2020 |access-date=January 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125194853/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/us/politics/democrats-trump-impeachment-trial.html |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |url-status=live }} Senator James Inhofe (Republican, Oklahoma) said, "I have to say this: Schiff is very, very effective."{{cite magazine|magazine=The New Yorker|title=Adam Schiff And His Colleagues Did Their Duty In The Trump Impeachment Trial|last=Cassidy|first=John|date=January 25, 2020|url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/adam-schiff-and-his-colleagues-did-their-duty-in-the-trump-impeachment-trial|access-date=January 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127030533/https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/adam-schiff-and-his-colleagues-did-their-duty-in-the-trump-impeachment-trial|archive-date=January 27, 2020|url-status=live}} In his closing remarks, Schiff said of the Trump defense team, "If they couldn't get Ukraine to smear the Bidens, they want to use this trial to do it instead."{{cite news |url=https://www.mediaite.com/tv/adam-schiff-trump-couldnt-get-ukraine-to-smear-bidens-so-his-team-will-use-trial-to-do-it-instead/ |first=Josh |last=Feldman |title=Adam Schiff: Trump Couldn't Get Ukraine to Smear Bidens, So His Team Will Use Trial to Do It Instead |date=January 25, 2020 |work=Mediaite |access-date=January 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125144447/https://www.mediaite.com/tv/adam-schiff-trump-couldnt-get-ukraine-to-smear-bidens-so-his-team-will-use-trial-to-do-it-instead/ |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |url-status=live }}
= Defense =
As Trump's defense team prepared to begin their statements the next day, Sekulow told reporters that during their statements Democrats had "kicked the door down" on Burisma and the Bidens, and that his team planned to respond.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-impeachment-trial-01-24-20/index.html|title=Trump impeachment trial: Live updates from the Senate|first1=Meg|last1=Wagner|first2=Veronica|last2=Rocha|first3=Mike|last3=Hayes|date=January 24, 2020|publisher=CNN|access-date=February 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214035945/https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-impeachment-trial-01-24-20/index.html|archive-date=February 14, 2020|url-status=live}} The Washington Post reported that the Trump team planned a scorched-earth defense by targeting the Bidens in an effort to both sway senators in the trial and undercut Trump's political opponent.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-defense-team-to-target-bidens-in-counterpunch-to-impeachment-charges/2020/01/24/cf80406a-3ec6-11ea-8872-5df698785a4e_story.html |date=January 24, 2020 |title=Trump's defense team to target Bidens in counterpunch to impeachment charges |newspaper=The Washington Post |first1=Rachael |last1=Bade |first2=Robert |last2=Costa |first3=Karoun |last3=Demirjian |first4=Josh |last4=Dawsey |access-date=January 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125004040/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-defense-team-to-target-bidens-in-counterpunch-to-impeachment-charges/2020/01/24/cf80406a-3ec6-11ea-8872-5df698785a4e_story.html |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |url-status=live }} Lindsey Graham stated his opposition to subpoenaing either Biden even if other witnesses were called, because he did not want the trial to interfere with the 2020 presidential election,{{efn|name=Bernie|Trump has argued that the impeachment's timing was designed to hurt Bernie Sanders's presidential campaign by forcing him to focus on the trial.{{cite news |last1=Lejeune |first1=Tristan |title=Trump: Impeachment timing intended to hurt Sanders |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/478763-trump-impeachment-trial-timing-intended-to-hurt-sanders |website=The Hill |access-date=January 25, 2020 |date=January 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125095641/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/478763-trump-impeachment-trial-timing-intended-to-hurt-sanders |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |url-status=live }}}} but stated his support of a separate investigation.{{cite news |last1=Swanson |first1=Ian |title=Lindsey Graham will oppose subpoena of Hunter Biden |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/479779-lindsey-graham-will-oppose-subpoena-of-hunter-biden |access-date=January 25, 2020 |work=The Hill |date=January 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200124231612/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/479779-lindsey-graham-will-oppose-subpoena-of-hunter-biden |archive-date=January 24, 2020 |url-status=live }}
== January 25 ==
The Trump defense team began its statements on January 25. The primary arguments were a lack of direct evidence of wrongdoing, and that Democrats were attempting to use the impeachment to steal the 2020 election.{{efn|name=Bernie}} Sekulow cited the conspiracy theory that Ukraine had interfered in the 2016 election, suggesting this gave Trump a basis to investigate corruption in Ukraine.{{cite news |last1=Blitzer |first1=Wolf |title=Wolf Blitzer: Trump's counsel simply ignored this |publisher=CNN |date=January 25, 2020 |url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/01/25/jay-sekulow-trump-senate-impeachment-trial-blitzer-vpx.cnn |access-date=January 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125235308/https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/01/25/jay-sekulow-trump-senate-impeachment-trial-blitzer-vpx.cnn |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{efn|The United States intelligence community, the Senate Intelligence Committee and the FBI have not found evidence that Ukraine interfered in the election.{{cite news |date=December 2, 2019 |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/02/senate-panel-ukraine-election-interference-074796 |title=Senate panel look into Ukraine interference comes up short |first=Natasha |last=Bertrand |website=Politico |access-date=January 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130050758/https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/02/senate-panel-ukraine-election-interference-074796 |archive-date=January 30, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{cite news|date=December 10, 2019|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/12/09/fbi-director-wray-says-no-indication-ukraine-interference-2016-election/4380050002/|title=FBI Director Wray shoots down Ukraine interference claim pushed by Trump and GOP|first=Courtney|last=Subramanian|website=USA Today|access-date=January 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200221071215/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/12/09/fbi-director-wray-says-no-indication-ukraine-interference-2016-election/4380050002/|archive-date=February 21, 2020|url-status=live}}}} Deputy White House counsel Michael Purpura presented video from the impeachment inquiry of three envoys to Ukraine testifying that the first time they had become aware Ukraine had expressed concern about the aid being withheld was in August 2019, suggesting Ukraine was unaware of the hold at the time of the Trump–Zelenskyy phone call.{{efn|Purpura omitted the testimony of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Laura Cooper, who testified that her office received emails about the hold from Ukrainian officials on July 25, the day of the call.}} Despite White House resistance to witness testimony during the impeachment inquiry and trial, deputy White House counsel Patrick Philbin said, "cross-examination in our legal system is regarded as the greatest legal engine ever invented for the discovery of truth."{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/25/democrats-trump-impeachment-lawyers-104494 |title=Democrats see Trump lawyers boosting their own case for witnesses |website=Politico |date=January 25, 2020 |access-date=January 26, 2020 |first1=Burgess |last1=Everett |first2=James |last2=Arkin |first3=John |last3=Bresnahan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125235558/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/25/democrats-trump-impeachment-lawyers-104494 |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |url-status=live }}
== January 26 ==
On January 26, The New York Times reported that Bolton had written in a draft of his forthcoming book that the president told him in August 2019 he wanted to continue freezing $391 million in aid to Ukraine until officials there pursued investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens.{{cite news |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie |last2=Schmidt |first2=Michael S. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/26/us/politics/trump-bolton-book-ukraine.html |title=Trump Tied Ukraine Aid to Inquiries He Sought, Bolton Book Says |work=The New York Times |date=January 26, 2020 |access-date=January 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200126231013/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/26/us/politics/trump-bolton-book-ukraine.html |archive-date=January 26, 2020 |url-status=live }} Trump denied Bolton's claim.{{cite news |last1=Re |first1=Gregg |last2=Turner |first2=Gillian |title=Bolton's manuscript leaks as memoir pre-orders begin on Amazon; Trump fires back |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/john-bolton-trump-ukraine-aid-ny-times-manuscript |access-date=January 27, 2020 |publisher=Fox News |date=January 26, 2020 |quote=I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens. In fact, he never complained about this at the time of his very public termination. If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127065636/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/john-bolton-trump-ukraine-aid-ny-times-manuscript |archive-date=January 27, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{better source needed|date=February 2020}} The House impeachment managers subsequently called for the Senate to call Bolton as a witness.{{cite news |last1=Seung Min |first1=Kim |last2=Felicia |first2=Sonmez |last3=Dawsey |first3=Josh |title=Democrats call for Bolton to testify in Trump impeachment trial after new report on aid to Ukraine |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/democrats-call-for-bolton-to-testify-in-trump-impeachment-trial-after-new-report-on-aid-to-ukraine/2020/01/26/de234402-409a-11ea-b503-2b077c436617_story.html |access-date=January 27, 2020 |date=January 26, 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127012006/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/democrats-call-for-bolton-to-testify-in-trump-impeachment-trial-after-new-report-on-aid-to-ukraine/2020/01/26/de234402-409a-11ea-b503-2b077c436617_story.html |archive-date=January 27, 2020 |url-status=live }} McConnell evidently had no knowledge of the book contents prior to the Times story, though White House aides have reportedly had the manuscript since late December.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/27/us/politics/john-bolton-impeachment-witness.html|title=Bolton Revelations Anger Republicans, Fueling Push for Impeachment Witnesses|first1=Michael D.|last1=Shear|first2=Nicholas|last2=Fandos|date=January 27, 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128033714/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/27/us/politics/john-bolton-impeachment-witness.html|archive-date=January 28, 2020|url-status=live}} After the Times story was published, Trump asserted that House impeachment investigators had never called Bolton to testify.{{cite web|website=PolitiFact|url=https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2020/jan/27/donald-trump/trump-falsely-claims-house-democrats-never-asked-b/|title=Trump falsely claims House Democrats never asked Bolton to testify|first=Bill|last=McCarthy|date=January 27, 2020|access-date=January 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127214915/https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2020/jan/27/donald-trump/trump-falsely-claims-house-democrats-never-asked-b/|archive-date=January 27, 2020|url-status=live}} The Times later reported the Bolton book described a May 2019 Oval Office meeting during which Trump directed Bolton to call Zelenskyy to ask him to meet with Giuliani about getting damaging information on the Bidens. Bolton reportedly wrote that Giuliani, Mulvaney and Cipollone attended the meeting. Trump denied telling Bolton this, and Giuliani denied Mulvaney or Cipollone attended meetings related to Ukraine.{{cite web |first1=Maggie |last1=Haberman |first2=Michael S. |last2=Schmidt |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/31/us/politics/trump-bolton-ukraine.html |title=Trump Told Bolton to Help His Ukraine Pressure Campaign, Book Says |work=The New York Times |date=January 31, 2020 |access-date=February 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131234544/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/31/us/politics/trump-bolton-ukraine.html |archive-date=January 31, 2020 |url-status=live }} Cipollone previously said he never attended Ukraine-related meetings, and Mulvaney said he avoided Trump–Giuliani meetings so as to not jeopardize their attorney-client privilege.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/bolton-manuscript-trump-ukraine-946451/|title=Bolton Says Trump Directed Him to Take Part in Ukraine Scheme|first1=Peter|last1=Wade|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=January 31, 2020|access-date=February 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201210152/https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/bolton-manuscript-trump-ukraine-946451/|archive-date=February 1, 2020|url-status=live}}
==January 27==
The following day, Pam Bondi{{efn|Bondi has been tied to indicted Giuliani associate Lev Parnas by Parnas and his lawyer. In the leaked audiotape of his April 2018 dinner with Trump, Parnas mentioned with regard to his illegal financial support for Florida Republican politicians like Rick Scott that he had just had lunch with Bondi, who was Florida's attorney general at the time. Photos were released of two meetings between Parnas and Bondi.{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Contorno |url=https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2020/01/28/donald-trump-and-lev-parnas-discussed-rick-scott-in-secret-recording/ |title=Donald Trump and Lev Parnas discussed Rick Scott in secret recording |newspaper=Tampa Bay Times |date=January 28, 2020 |access-date=January 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128234810/https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2020/01/28/donald-trump-and-lev-parnas-discussed-rick-scott-in-secret-recording/ |archive-date=January 28, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{cite tweet |last=Bondy |first=Joseph |date=January 28, 2020 |access-date=January 28, 2020 |user=josephabondy|number=1222196803820453888 |title=This @PamBondi, with Lev Parnas?}}}} dedicated most of her time discussing the motive behind Trump's actions, citing the conspiracy theory involving the Bidens and Burisma, saying, "We would prefer not to be talking about this. But the House managers have placed this squarely at issue, so we must address it." She repeated allegations that Joe Biden had sought the removal of Ukrainian prosecutor general Viktor Shokin, who was ostensibly investigating the firm that employed Hunter Biden, though this action was in agreement with the foreign policy of the United States and other Western governments towards Ukraine at the time.{{efn|Bondi did not mention that both Western governments and non-governmental organizations had sought Shokin's removal because they believed he was corrupt and that the Burisma investigation had gone dormant under him.{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-impeachment-trial-01-27-20/h_a531765a89c09f4406c6e31f91d1d857 |title=Fact check: 4 things Trump's attorney left out of her arguments about Biden and Burisma |last1=Wagner |first1=Meg |last2=Hayes |first2=Mike |last3=Rocha |first3=Veronica |date=January 27, 2020 |publisher=CNN |access-date=January 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128035420/https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-impeachment-trial-01-27-20/h_a531765a89c09f4406c6e31f91d1d857 |archive-date=January 28, 2020 |url-status=live }}}} Bondi also falsely asserted that The New York Times reported in 2015 that Shokin was investigating Burisma and its owner.{{cite news |first=Aaron |last=Blake |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/01/28/gaping-hole-trumps-impeachment-defense/ |title=The gaping hole in Trump's impeachment defense |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 28, 2020 |access-date=February 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131115457/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/01/28/gaping-hole-trumps-impeachment-defense/ |archive-date=January 31, 2020 |url-status=live }}
Trump attorney Jane Raskin followed Bondi and told senators, "In this trial{{nbsp}}... Mr. Giuliani is just a minor player, that shiny object designed to distract you."{{cite news |last1=Pearce |first1=Tim |title=Trump defense: Giuliani a 'minor player' and 'shiny object designed to distract' |url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trump-defense-giuliani-a-minor-player-and-shiny-object-designed-to-distract |access-date=January 29, 2020 |work=Washington Examiner |date=January 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129123509/https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trump-defense-giuliani-a-minor-player-and-shiny-object-designed-to-distract |archive-date=January 29, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{efn|The whistleblower and several impeachment inquiry witnesses testified that Trump had instructed them to coordinate their activities through Giuliani,{{cite web|url=https://www.factcheck.org/2020/01/giuliani-was-not-a-minor-player-in-ukraine/|title=Giuliani Was Not a 'Minor Player' in Ukraine|last=Kiely|first=Eugene|date=January 29, 2020|website=FactCheck.org|access-date=February 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222092920/https://www.factcheck.org/2020/01/giuliani-was-not-a-minor-player-in-ukraine/|archive-date=February 22, 2020|url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/17/politics/sondland-deposition-impeachment-inquiry/index.html |title=Ambassador says Trump directed diplomats to work with Giuliani on Ukraine |last1=Herb |first1=Jeremy |last2=Polantz |first2=Katelyn |last3=Raju |first3=Manu |publisher=CNN |date=October 17, 2019 |access-date=January 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209143308/https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/17/politics/sondland-deposition-impeachment-inquiry/index.html |archive-date=December 9, 2019 |url-status=live }} who was mentioned by name multiple times in the Trump–Zelenskyy phone call.{{cite web |title=Telephone Conversation with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Unclassified09.2019.pdf |access-date=January 28, 2020 |date=September 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120173711/https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Unclassified09.2019.pdf |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |via=National Archives |work=whitehouse.gov |url-status=live }} Giuliani had also sent Zelenskyy a letter on behalf of Trump as a private citizen requesting a meeting with the newly elected Ukrainian president in May 2019.{{cite news |last1=Sheth |first1=Sonam |title=A newly revealed letter from Rudy Giuliani—Trump's own lawyer—destroys the president's last defense in Ukraine scandal |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/new-rudy-giuliani-letter-destroys-trump-defense-ukraine-impeachment-2020-1 |access-date=January 28, 2020 |work=Business Insider |date=January 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129070952/https://www.businessinsider.com/new-rudy-giuliani-letter-destroys-trump-defense-ukraine-impeachment-2020-1 |archive-date=January 29, 2020 |url-status=live }}}} Trump counsel Eric Herschmann asked why Hunter Biden was hired and paid so much by Burisma despite having no experience in the energy sector or Ukraine, then played a video of him explaining that he was employed to head the corporate governance and transparency committee on the Burisma board.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/01/27/trump-impeachment-senate-trial/4581274002/|title=Alan Dershowitz tells Senate Trump's impeachment is unconstitutional—updates|first1=Nicholas|last1=Wu|first2=Christal|last2=Hayes|first3=Bart|last3=Jansen|website=USA Today|date=January 27, 2020|access-date=January 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127140627/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/01/27/trump-impeachment-senate-trial/4581274002/|archive-date=January 27, 2020|url-status=live}} Trump's team asserted that President Obama had abused his power with Russia, with Herschmann characterizing a 2012 "hot mic" incident between Obama and Russian president Dmitry Medvedev{{cite news |last1=Epstein |first1=Jennifer |title=Obama explains Medvedev open mic incident |url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/politico44/2012/03/obama-explains-medvedev-open-mic-incident-118750 |access-date=January 28, 2020 |work=Politico |date=March 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128093525/https://www.politico.com/blogs/politico44/2012/03/obama-explains-medvedev-open-mic-incident-118750 |archive-date=January 28, 2020 |url-status=live }} as a quid pro quo. He also played a video from a 2012 presidential debate in which Obama mocked his opponent Mitt Romney for having said Russia was America's top geopolitical opponent.{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/27/john-bolton-trump-senate-impeachment-trial-106072|title=Trump team turns Senate trial into extended Obama-Biden attack|website=Politico|first1=Kyle|last1=Cheney|first2=Andrew|last2=Desiderio|date=January 27, 2020|access-date=January 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127161103/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/27/john-bolton-trump-senate-impeachment-trial-106072|archive-date=January 27, 2020|url-status=live}}
== January 28 ==
On January 28, the final day of the Trump team's opening statements, Pat Philbin argued that no one could get into the president's mind and decide what is or is not an "illicit motive". He went on to say the president is not beholden to what his subordinates say or think.{{cite web|publisher=CNBC|title=Trump impeachment trial: Defense wraps up oral arguments, urges Senate to acquit the president|date=January 28, 2020|first1=Yelena|last1=Dzhanova|first2=Christina|last2=Wilkie|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/28/trump-impeachment-trial-defense-wraps-up-case-for-acquittal.html|access-date=January 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128215013/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/28/trump-impeachment-trial-defense-wraps-up-case-for-acquittal.html|archive-date=January 28, 2020|url-status=live}} Senators James Lankford (Republican, Oklahoma) and Lindsey Graham proposed that Bolton's book should be reviewed in a classified setting; some argue that this would be illegal.{{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=Zachary |last2=Cohen |first2=Marshall |title=Some Republican senators want to review Bolton's manuscript in a classified setting. It's not clear if that would be legal. |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/28/politics/john-bolton-legal-experts-testimony/index.html |access-date=January 28, 2020 |publisher=CNN |date=January 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129072553/https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/28/politics/john-bolton-legal-experts-testimony/index.html |archive-date=January 29, 2020 |url-status=live }} Schumer immediately shot the idea down.{{cite web|website=Politico|title=Trump's impeachment defense wraps up|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/28/trump-impeachment-defense-senate-trial-107544|first1=Kyle|last1=Cheney|first2=Jesse|last2=Naranjo|date=January 28, 2020|access-date=January 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128162023/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/28/trump-impeachment-defense-senate-trial-107544|archive-date=January 28, 2020|url-status=live}} Sekulow said the trial was "not a game of leaks and unsourced manuscripts", characterizing the reported assertion in Bolton's book as inadmissible. Schiff later remarked, "I don't think quite frankly that we could have made as effective a case for John Bolton's testimony as the president's own lawyers."{{cite news|publisher=CNN|access-date=January 28, 2020|date=January 28, 2020|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/28/politics/senate-impeachment-trial-trump-defense-day-3/index.html|title=Republicans aim to lock in votes against witnesses as Senate prepares for next phase of trial|first1=Jeremy|last1=Herb|first2=Phil|last2=Mattingly|first3=Manu|last3=Raju|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128183010/https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/28/politics/senate-impeachment-trial-trump-defense-day-3/index.html|archive-date=January 28, 2020|url-status=live}}{{cite news|website=The New York Times|date=January 28, 2020|access-date=January 28, 2020|title=Day in Impeachment: Republicans Huddle on Witnesses After Trump's Defense Concludes|url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/impeachment-trial-live-01-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129000202/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/impeachment-trial-live-01-28|archive-date=January 29, 2020|url-status=live}} Sekulow also falsely asserted that Crossfire Hurricane—the FBI investigation opened in July 2016 that investigated links between Russians and Trump campaign associates—had also investigated Trump personally; Trump did not come under personal scrutiny until his May 2017 firing of FBI director James Comey raised suspicions of obstruction of justice.{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/c565f440467e4fd5cd6a11d7c8abc842|title=AP FACT CHECK: Trump defense wrong about FBI investigation|date=January 28, 2020|website=AP NEWS}}
Question-and-answer session
File:Chris Murphy's question to House Managers.jpg's question presented to the House Managers. ]]
Sixteen hours of questions and answers began on January 29. Senators had to write questions on a sheet of paper addressing the defense, the prosecution or both, which Chief Justice Roberts read out loud for the relevant team to answer.{{cite news |last1=Samuelsohn |first1=Darren |last2=Levine |first2=Marianne |title=12 questions to expect at Trump's impeachment trial |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/29/questions-trump-impeachment-trial-108238 |access-date=January 29, 2020 |work=Politico |date=January 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129101021/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/29/questions-trump-impeachment-trial-108238 |archive-date=January 29, 2020 |url-status=live }} The first day contained questions of both procedural and evidentiary topics,{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/29/impeachment-q-and-a-moments-that-mattered-109272 |title=Dershowitz's power play and a Trump team stumble: The moments that mattered in the Senate Q&A |website=Politico |first1=Kyle |last1=Cheney |first2=Andrew |last2=Desiderio |first3=Darren |last3=Samuelsohn |date=January 29, 2020 |access-date=February 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201084554/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/29/impeachment-q-and-a-moments-that-mattered-109272 |archive-date=February 1, 2020 |url-status=live }} as well as questions Roberts declined to allow, such as one speculating about the identity of the whistleblower.{{cite web|date=January 30, 2020|url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/huddle/2020/01/30/what-happens-if-the-impeachment-witness-vote-is-a-tie-488197|title=What happens if the impeachment witness vote is a tie|first=Melanie|last=Zanona|website=Politico|access-date=February 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130133024/https://www.politico.com/newsletters/huddle/2020/01/30/what-happens-if-the-impeachment-witness-vote-is-a-tie-488197|archive-date=January 30, 2020|url-status=live}} Senator Rand Paul was seen and heard expressing his frustration at the ruling during a break.{{cite web|publisher=CNN|title=Rand Paul frustrated after John Roberts rejects his whistleblower question in Senate impeachment trial|first1=Phil|last1=Mattingly|first2=Manu|last2=Raju|first3=Paul|last3=LeBlanc|date=January 30, 2020|access-date=January 30, 2020|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/29/politics/rand-paul-whistleblower-senate-impeachment-trial/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130045714/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/29/politics/rand-paul-whistleblower-senate-impeachment-trial/index.html|archive-date=January 30, 2020|url-status=live}}
Most of the questions fell along party lines; Democrats questioned the House managers, and Republicans questioned Trump's lawyers. Tim Scott (Republican, South Carolina) said that was because "You don't want to see someone just drone on."{{cite web|website=The Guardian|title=Impeachment trial: House managers and Trump team in first direct clash|date=January 30, 2020|access-date=January 30, 2020|first=Tom|last=McCarthy|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jan/29/impeachment-trial-question-answer-trump|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130010102/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jan/29/impeachment-trial-question-answer-trump|archive-date=January 30, 2020|url-status=live}} The first question was from Senators Susan Collins (Republican, Maine), Mitt Romney (Republican, Utah), and Lisa Murkowski (Republican, Alaska) who asked whether Trump's conduct toward Ukraine would be impeachable if he was acting out of both public and personal motives. Patrick Philbin replied that mixed motives would make the case for impeachment fail. Asked for his view on the same question by Chuck Schumer (Democrat, New York), Schiff argued that "[I]f any part of the president's motive was a corrupt motive, that is enough to convict." Ted Cruz (Republican, Texas) asked if quid pro quo arrangements were common in foreign policy; Alan Dershowitz suggested there would be nothing wrong if the president asked a foreign country for help in his reelection because the president might think it was central to the best interests of the country. Schiff retorted that would give carte blanche to more interference in the future. Five Republicans asked how the Founding Fathers would feel about an impeachment that was supported by only one political party; Dershowitz opined that "The president is the executive branch. He is irreplaceable."{{cite web|work=NBC News|title=Trump's Senate trial: Key moments from Day One of the question-and-answer phase|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/trump-s-senate-trial-key-moments-day-1-question-answer-n1125871|first=Dareh|last=Gregorian|date=January 29, 2020|access-date=January 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130031503/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/trump-s-senate-trial-key-moments-day-1-question-answer-n1125871|archive-date=January 30, 2020|url-status=live}} Schiff and Philbin disagreed over calling witnesses. Schiff said Bolton could clear up doubts about Trump's motives, while Philbin threatened that any attempt to get Bolton to testify would tie up the proceedings for months. Schiff said Chief Justice Roberts could rule on the question.
File:Donald Trump Senate Impeachment Trial Ticket 60810b (front side).jpg
Dershowitz stirred controversy on January 29 by saying, "If a president does something which he believes will help him get elected in the public interest, that cannot be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment." The statement elicited concerns among many that Dershowitz was asserting a president is above the law, with Schiff telling senators it was reminiscent of former president Nixon's assertion that "when the president does it, that means it is not illegal." Dershowitz insisted his comment was mischaracterized, later stating, "a president seeking re-election cannot do anything he wants. He is not above the law. He cannot commit crimes."{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/30/us/politics/dershowitz-trump-impeachment.html|title=Trump Lawyer's Impeachment Argument Stokes Fears of Unfettered Power|first=Charlie|last=Savage|date=January 30, 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131020034/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/30/us/politics/dershowitz-trump-impeachment.html|archive-date=January 31, 2020|url-status=live}}
The question and answer session continued on January 30. One of the first questions was how the Senate could find out when the $400 million hold was first ordered. Democratic House manager Jason Crow said that information was unknown but could be easily obtained with subpoenas for documents and witnesses, including Bolton. Senator Lisa Murkowski cited Ambassador Gordon Sondland and Senator Johnson in asking why Bolton should not be called to testify. Murkowski later joined Lamar Alexander in asking defense lawyers if withholding aid to Ukraine was impeachable; the lawyers said it is not. Senators Jack Reed (Democrat, Rhode Island), Tammy Duckworth (Democrat, Illinois), and Kamala Harris (Democrat, California) asked both sides who was paying Rudy Giuliani. Schiff reported that he did not know, and Sekulow called the question unimportant.{{cite web|work=NBC News|title=Trump's Senate trial: Key takeaways from senators' questions as witness vote in doubt|first=Dareh|last=Gregorian|date=January 30, 2020|access-date=January 31, 2020|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/trump-s-senate-trial-scores-questions-still-no-answer-witnesses-n1126916|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131022022/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/trump-s-senate-trial-scores-questions-still-no-answer-witnesses-n1126916|archive-date=January 31, 2020|url-status=live}}
Senator John Thune (Republican, South Dakota) conceded that Trump did what he was charged with, but that witnesses were not necessary and the actions were not impeachable. Kevin Cramer (Republican, North Dakota) said, "I think [Bolton] sounds like a lot of the other witnesses, frankly. I don't know that he's got a lot new to add to it." Other Republicans made similar statements.{{cite web|publisher=CNN|title=GOP concedes Trump may have withheld aid for probes but says it's not impeachable|first=Manu|last=Raju|date=January 29, 2020|access-date=January 31, 2020|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/28/politics/republican-trump-aid-impeachable/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130200556/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/28/politics/republican-trump-aid-impeachable/index.html|archive-date=January 30, 2020|url-status=live}}
File:Rep. Schiff - You Can't Make This Stuff Up.webm
Schiff pointed out that during a January 30 federal court hearing about the White House's refusal to honor congressional subpoenas, Judge Randolph Moss asked Justice Department attorney James Burnham what remedies Congress might have in such a case. Burnham suggested impeachment, though Trump's attorneys argue that obstruction of Congress is not an impeachable offense. Burnham said, "They are hypocrites. We are hypocrites, I guess," in reference to the Trump administration's stance against both impeachment and court cases, as well as the House's wanting to impeach the president for obstruction of Congress while asking the courts to enforce its subpoenas for executive-branch information.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/30/politics/trump-impeachment-subpoena-hearing/index.html|title=Justice Department lawyer says House can impeach over defied subpoenas|first1=Marshall|last1=Cohen|first2=Katelyn|last2=Polantz|publisher=CNN|date=January 30, 2020|access-date=February 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201193836/https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/30/politics/trump-impeachment-subpoena-hearing/index.html|archive-date=February 1, 2020|url-status=live}}{{cite web |website=Mother Jones |date=January 30, 2020 |access-date=January 31, 2020 |title=Donald Trump's Own Justice Department Just Undermined His Impeachment Defense |first=Abigail |last=Weinberg |url=https://www.motherjones.com/impeachment/2020/01/donald-trumps-own-justice-department-just-undermined-his-impeachment-defense/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130215048/https://www.motherjones.com/impeachment/2020/01/donald-trumps-own-justice-department-just-undermined-his-impeachment-defense/ |archive-date=January 30, 2020 |url-status=live }} Moss said, "It seems{{nbsp}}... remarkable to suggest that Congress as an institution can't enforce its subpoenas," noting that if that were so, subpoenas would be little more than requests.{{cite news |last1=Neidig |first1=Harper |title=DOJ tells court that Congress can't sue to enforce subpoenas |url=https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/480730-doj-tells-court-that-congress-cant-sue-to-enforce-subpoenas |access-date=February 2, 2020 |work=The Hill |date=January 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202094031/https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/480730-doj-tells-court-that-congress-cant-sue-to-enforce-subpoenas |archive-date=February 2, 2020 |url-status=live }}
Vote on subpoenas
On January 31, after a planned debate session, the Senate voted against allowing subpoenas to call witnesses or documents with a 51–49 vote.{{cite news |last1=Herb |first1=Jeremy |last2=Mattingly |first2=Phil |last3=Raju |first3=Manu |last4=Fox |first4=Lauren |title=Senate impeachment trial: Wednesday acquittal vote scheduled after effort to have witnesses fails |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/31/politics/senate-impeachment-trial-last-day/index.html |access-date=February 2, 2020 |work=CNN |date=January 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202035520/https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/31/politics/senate-impeachment-trial-last-day/index.html |archive-date=February 2, 2020 |url-status=live }} Fifty-one Republican senators voted against calling witnesses, while 45 Democratic senators, two independents (Bernie Sanders and Angus King) who typically vote Democratic, and two Republicans (Mitt Romney and Susan Collins) voted for witnesses.{{cite web|first1=John|last1=Haltiwanger|first2=Sonam|last2=Sheth|title=In an Unprecedented Move, the Senate Voted against Calling Witnesses in Trump's Impeachment Trial|work=Business Insider|date=January 31, 2020|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/senate-voted-against-calling-witnesses-in-trump-impeachment-trial-2020-1|access-date=February 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201130022/https://www.businessinsider.com/senate-voted-against-calling-witnesses-in-trump-impeachment-trial-2020-1|archive-date=February 1, 2020|url-status=live}} Further attempts to add witnesses, Bolton in particular, via amendments were tabled with similar vote tallies but with Romney and Collins joining their fellow Republicans except for votes specifically calling for Bolton as a witness.{{cite report |date=January 31, 2020 |title=Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 116th Congress, Second Session |publisher=United States Government Publishing Office |volume=166 |number=21 |pages=S767–S769 |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2020-01-31/pdf/CREC-2020-01-31.pdf |access-date=February 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202012749/https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2020-01-31/pdf/CREC-2020-01-31.pdf |archive-date=February 2, 2020 |url-status=live }}
The night after the vote, the Justice Department and a lawyer for the Office of Management and Budget acknowledged, in a court filing in a FOIA lawsuit brought against the administration by the Center for Public Integrity, the existence of two dozen emails revealing Trump's thinking about the "scope, duration, and purpose" of the freeze on military aid to Ukraine. The Trump administration withheld the documents, asserting that they are subject to "presidential privilege".{{cite news |date=February 1, 2020 |title=Court Filing Points to Trump Emails on Ukraine Decision |agency=Associated Press |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/02/01/us/politics/ap-us-trump-impeachment-ukraine-emails.html |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207203918/https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/02/01/us/politics/ap-us-trump-impeachment-ukraine-emails.html |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |url-status=live }}
Verdict
{{wikisource|Remarks on voting to convict Donald John Trump|Mitt Romney's Remarks}}
File:FULL REMARKS -- Senator Mitt Romney to vote to convict President Trump on Abuse of Power.webm
Closing arguments were given by the prosecution and defense teams on February 3.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/31/senate-leaders-agree-to-vote-wednesday-on-trump-impeachment-acquittal.html|title=Senate leaders strike a deal to vote on Trump impeachment acquittal after Iowa caucus, State of the Union|last=Wilkie|first=Christina|date=January 31, 2020|work=CNBC|access-date=February 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201005009/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/31/senate-leaders-agree-to-vote-wednesday-on-trump-impeachment-acquittal.html|archive-date=February 1, 2020|url-status=live}} That day, Democratic senator Joe Manchin, who was undecided on the trial vote, proposed the Senate censure the president to prevent his behavior to go "unchecked by the Senate", though there appeared to be little support for it.{{Cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/03/politics/joe-manchin-censure-trump/index.html |title=Undecided Democratic senator calls for the Senate to censure Trump |first=Ali |last=Zaslav |work=CNN |date=February 4, 2020 |access-date=February 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200208004402/https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/03/politics/joe-manchin-censure-trump/index.html |archive-date=February 8, 2020 |url-status=live }} Senator Rand Paul (Republican, Kentucky) gave a speech{{cite journal |author= |date=February 4, 2020 |title=116th Congress, 2nd Session |url=https://www.congress.gov/116/crec/2020/02/04/CREC-2020-02-04.pdf |journal=Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the U.S. Congress |volume=166 |issue=40 |pages=5824–5825 |publisher=U.S. Government Publishing Office |access-date=March 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301015836/https://www.congress.gov/116/crec/2020/02/04/CREC-2020-02-04.pdf |archive-date=March 1, 2020 |url-status=live }} reiterating the question which Chief Justice Roberts declined to read.{{cite news |title=Rand Paul reads alleged whistleblower's name and Republicans 'fine' with it |first1=Kyle |last1=Cheney |first2=Burgess |last2=Everett |date=February 4, 2020 |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/04/rand-paul-reads-alleged-whistleblowers-name-senate-floor-110684 |publisher=Politico |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207065234/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/04/rand-paul-reads-alleged-whistleblowers-name-senate-floor-110684 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |url-status=live }} On February 5, the Senate voted on whether to convict the president on the charges and evidence as they were presented and debated upon.{{cite news|last1=Mascaro|first1=Lisa|last2=Tucker|first2=Eric|last3=Miller|first3=Zeke|title=Trump acquittal now likely Wednesday; Senate nixes witnesses|url=https://www.wral.com/trump-trial-could-end-soon-alexander-says-no-to-witnesses/18921189/|publisher=WRAL-TV|location=Raleigh, North Carolina|agency=Associated Press|date=January 31, 2020|access-date=January 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201014859/https://www.wral.com/trump-trial-could-end-soon-alexander-says-no-to-witnesses/18921189/|archive-date=February 1, 2020|url-status=dead}} The senators voted 52 to 48 to find Trump not guilty on the charge of abuse of power; all 45 Democrats, Independent senators Bernie Sanders and Angus King, and Republican senator Mitt Romney voted guilty. Romney's vote marked the first time in American history a senator voted to convict a president of his own party. On the second charge, the Senate voted 53 to 47, in a party-line vote, to find him not guilty on the charge of obstruction of Congress.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/not-guilty-trump-acquitted-of-both-impeachment-charges|title=Not guilty: Trump acquitted of both impeachment charges|last1=Mascaro|first1=Lisa|last2=Clare Jalonick|first2=Mary|date=February 5, 2020|website=The Mercury News|language=en-US|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200206012449/https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/02/05/not-guilty-trump-acquitted-of-both-impeachment-charges/|archive-date=February 6, 2020|access-date=February 5, 2020}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/05/trump-impeachment-vote-110805 |first1=Kyle |last1=Cheney |first2=Andrew |last2=Desiderio |first3=John |last3=Breshnahan |date=February 5, 2020 |title=Trump acquitted on impeachment charges, ending gravest threat to his presidency |website=Politico |access-date=February 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205161052/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/05/trump-impeachment-vote-110805 |archive-date=February 5, 2020 |url-status=live }}
With 48% of senators voting to convict on the first article of impeachment, and 47% of senators voting to convict on the second article of impeachment, out of the four presidential impeachment trials in United States history, this trial has the lowest percentage of senators that voted to convict on at least one article. In the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson, 64.82% of senators voted to convict on each of the three articles of impeachment which saw votes cast.{{cite web |title=U.S. Senate: The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson (1868) President of the United States |url=https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Impeachment_Johnson.htm |website=www.senate.gov |publisher=United States Senate |access-date=28 February 2021}} In the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump, 57% of senators voted to convict on the sole article of impeachment.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-us-canada-56054136|title=Donald Trump impeachment trial: Ex-president acquitted of inciting insurrection|website=BBC News|date=February 13, 2021 |access-date=February 14, 2021|archive-date=February 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214225754/https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-us-canada-56054136|url-status=live}} In the impeachment trial of Bill Clinton, 45% of senators voted to convict on the first article of impeachment,{{cite web |title=U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 106th Congress - 1st Session |url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=106&session=1&vote=00017 |website=www.senate.gov |publisher=United States Senate |access-date=28 February 2021}} and 50% of senators voted to convict on the second article of impeachment.{{cite web |title=U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 106th Congress - 1st Session |url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=106&session=1&vote=00018 |website=www.senate.gov |publisher=United States Senate |access-date=28 February 2021}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;background:white;"
|+Voting results{{cite report |date=February 5, 2020 |title=Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 116th Congress, Second Session |publisher=United States Government Publishing Office |volume=166 |number=24 |pages=S937–S938 |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2020-02-05/pdf/CREC-2020-02-05.pdf |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207103056/https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2020-02-05/pdf/CREC-2020-02-05.pdf |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Fandos |first=Nicholas |date=February 5, 2020 |title=Trump Acquitted of Two Impeachment Charges in Near Party-Line Vote |website=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/trump-acquitted-impeachment.html |access-date=February 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205220311/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/trump-acquitted-impeachment.html |archive-date=February 5, 2020 |url-status=live }} |
| scope="col" colspan="4" | Article I (Abuse of power) ! scope="col" colspan="4" | Article II |
|---|
| scope="col" colspan="2" |
! scope="col" | Guilty ! scope="col" | Not guilty ! scope="col" colspan="2" | ! scope="col" | Guilty ! scope="col" | Not guilty |
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}}" |
| style="text-align:left;"| Democratic | 45 | {{0|0}}0 | style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}}" | | style="text-align:left;"| Democratic | 45 | {{0|0}}0 |
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (US)}}" |
| style="text-align:left;"| Republican | {{0|0}}{{tooltip|2=Mitt Romney (Utah)|1}} | 52 | style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (US)}}" | | style="text-align:left;"| Republican | {{0|0}}0 | 53 |
| style="background:gray;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Independent | {{0|0}}{{tooltip|2=Angus King (Maine) and Bernie Sanders (Vermont)|2}} | {{0|0}}0 | style="background:gray;"| | style="text-align:left;"| Independent | {{0|0}}{{tooltip|2=Angus King (Maine) and Bernie Sanders (Vermont)|2}} | {{0|0}}0 |
| style="background:#EAECF0;"
! scope="row" colspan="2" | Totals | 48 | 52 ! scope="row" colspan="2" | Totals | 47 | 53 |
| colspan="4" | Not guilty{{efn|name=guiltycalculation|Guilt based on "the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present" according to the Constitution (Article 1, Section 3, Clause 6). There are 100 Senate seats (two per U.S. state) and all Senators were present at the trial. Two-thirds of 100 is 66.{{overline|6}}, so 67 guilty votes are needed for a guilty verdict.}}
! colspan="4" | Not guilty{{efn|name=guiltycalculation}} |
| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
|+{{nowrap|Roll call votes on the Articles of Impeachment{{Cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/interactives/2019/trump-impeachment-vote-count-senate-results/ |title=Trump impeachment vote count |website=Politico |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205215232/https://www.politico.com/interactives/2019/trump-impeachment-vote-count-senate-results/ |archive-date=February 5, 2020 |url-status=live }}}} !Senator !Party !Article I !Article II | |||
| {{sortname|Lamar|Alexander}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–TN}} | style="background:#ffdd88;" | Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;" | Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Tammy|Baldwin}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–WI}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|John|Barrasso}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–WY}} | style="background:#ffdd88;" | Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Michael|Bennet}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–CO}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Marsha|Blackburn}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–TN}} | style="background:#ffdd88;" | Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Richard|Blumenthal}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–CT}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Roy|Blunt}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–MO}} | style="background:#ffdd88;" | Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Cory|Booker}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–NJ}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|John|Boozman}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–AR}} | style="background:#ffdd88;" | Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Mike|Braun}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R-IN}} | style="background:#ffdd88;" | Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Sherrod|Brown}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D-OH}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Richard|Burr}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–NC}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Maria|Cantwell}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–WA}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Shelley Moore|Capito}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–WV}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Ben|Cardin}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–MD}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Tom|Carper}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–DE}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Bob|Casey Jr.}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–PA}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Bill|Cassidy}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–LA}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| nowrap | {{sortname|Susan|Collins}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–ME}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Chris|Coons}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–DE}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|John|Cornyn}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–TX}} | style="background:#ffdd88;" | Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Catherine|Cortez Masto}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–NV}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Tom|Cotton}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–AR}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Kevin|Cramer}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–ND}} | style="background:#ffdd88;" | Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Mike|Crapo}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–ID}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Ted|Cruz}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–TX}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Steve|Daines}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–MT}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Tammy|Duckworth}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–IL}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Dick|Durbin}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–IL}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Mike|Enzi}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–WY}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Joni|Ernst}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–IA}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Dianne|Feinstein}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–CA}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Deb|Fischer}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–NE}} | style="background:#ffdd88;" | Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Cory|Gardner}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–CO}} | style="background:#ffdd88;" | Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Kirsten|Gillibrand}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–NY}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Lindsey|Graham}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–SC}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Chuck|Grassley}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–IA}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Kamala|Harris}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–CA}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Maggie|Hassan}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–NH}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Josh|Hawley}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–MO}} | style="background:#ffdd88;" | Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Martin|Heinrich}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–NM}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Mazie|Hirono}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–HI}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|John|Hoeven}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–ND}} | style="background:#ffdd88;" | Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Cindy|Hyde-Smith}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–MS}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Jim|Inhofe}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–OK}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| Ron Johnson | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–WI}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Doug|Jones|Doug Jones (politician)}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–AL}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Tim|Kaine}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–VA}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|John|Kennedy|John Kennedy (Louisiana politician)}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–LA}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Angus|King}} | {{Party shading/Independent}} | {{center|I–ME}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Amy|Klobuchar}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–MN}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|James|Lankford}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–OK}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Patrick|Leahy}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–VT}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Mike|Lee}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–UT}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Kelly|Loeffler}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–GA}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Joe|Manchin}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–WV}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Ed|Markey}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–MA}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Mitch|McConnell}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–KY}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Martha|McSally}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–AZ}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Bob|Menendez}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–NJ}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Jeff|Merkley}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–OR}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Jerry|Moran}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–KS}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Lisa|Murkowski}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–AK}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Chris|Murphy}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–CT}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Patty|Murray}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–WA}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Rand|Paul}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–KY}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|David|Perdue}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–GA}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Gary|Peters}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–MI}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Rob|Portman}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–OH}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Jack|Reed|Jack Reed (Rhode Island politician)}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–RI}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Jim|Risch}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–ID}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Pat|Roberts}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–KS}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Mitt|Romney}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–UT}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Jacky|Rosen}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–NV}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Mike|Rounds}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–SD}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Marco|Rubio}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–FL}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Bernie|Sanders}} | {{Party shading/Independent}} | {{center|I–VT}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Ben|Sasse}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–NE}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Brian|Schatz}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–HI}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Chuck|Schumer}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–NY}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Rick|Scott}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–FL}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Tim|Scott}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–SC}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Jeanne|Shaheen}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–NH}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Richard|Shelby}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–AL}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Kyrsten|Sinema}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–AZ}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Tina|Smith}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–MN}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Debbie|Stabenow}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–MI}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Dan|Sullivan|Dan Sullivan (U.S. senator)}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–AK}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Jon|Tester}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–MT}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|John|Thune}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–SD}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Thom|Tillis}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–NC}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Pat|Toomey}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–PA}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Tom|Udall}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–NM}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Chris|Van Hollen}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–MD}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Mark|Warner}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–VA}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Elizabeth|Warren}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–MA}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Sheldon|Whitehouse}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–RI}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Roger|Wicker}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–MS}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
| {{sortname|Ron|Wyden}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | {{center|D–OR}} | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty | style="background:#fff;"| Guilty |
| {{sortname|Todd|Young}} | {{Party shading/Republican}} | {{center|R–IN}} | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty | style="background:#ffdd88;"| Not guilty |
Public opinion
{{further|First impeachment of Donald Trump#Public opinion}}
Americans were sharply divided on whether Trump should be removed from office, with Democrats largely supporting removal, Republicans largely opposing, and independents divided.{{cite news |url=https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/impeachment-polls/ |title=Do Americans Support Impeaching Trump? |last=Bycoffe |first=Aaron |date=January 20, 2019 |website=FiveThirtyEight |access-date=January 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115143750/https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/impeachment-polls/ |archive-date=January 15, 2020 |url-status=dead}} A poll of 1,156 respondents conducted by Social Science Research Solutions in January 2020 found that 51% of people (89% of Democrats, 8% of Republicans, and 48% of independents) supported Trump's removal from office, compared to 45% who opposed the idea. The poll also found that 69% of respondents support calling new witnesses during the trial. Of the respondents, 32% of those sampled were Democrats, 26% were Republicans, and 42% described themselves as independents or members of another party.{{cite news |first=Jennifer |last=Agiesta |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/20/politics/cnn-poll-trump-impeachment/index.html |title=ACNN poll: 51% say Senate should remove Trump from office |publisher=CNN |date=January 20, 2020 |access-date=January 20, 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200120211010/https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/20/politics/cnn-poll-trump-impeachment/index.html |archive-date=January 20, 2020 }} A January 17–22 Reuters/Ipsos poll found that about 72% of Americans believed the trial "should allow witnesses with firsthand knowledge of the impeachment charges to testify", including 69% of Republicans.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-impeachment-poll/let-them-speak-most-americans-want-witnesses-in-trump-impeachment-trial-reuters-ipsos-poll-idUSKBN1ZL33O|title=Let them speak: Most Americans want witnesses in Trump impeachment trial—Reuters/Ipsos poll|first=Chris|last=Kahn|work=Reuters|date=January 22, 2020|access-date=January 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200122234057/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-impeachment-poll/let-them-speak-most-americans-want-witnesses-in-trump-impeachment-trial-reuters-ipsos-poll-idUSKBN1ZL33O|archive-date=January 22, 2020|url-status=live}}
A Quinnipiac University poll released on January 28 showed that 75% of those polled support calling witnesses; 49% of Republicans, 95% of Democrats, and 75% of independents. On the issue of removing Trump from office, 48% said no and 47% said yes. 89% of the respondents said they are firm in their opinions.{{cite web|website=The Hill|title=Support for witnesses in Senate trial at 75 percent: poll|first=Kaelan|last=Deese|date=January 28, 2020|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/480336-support-for-witnesses-in-senate-trial-at-75-percent-poll|access-date=January 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129011126/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/480336-support-for-witnesses-in-senate-trial-at-75-percent-poll|archive-date=January 29, 2020|url-status=live}} A Pew Research Center poll showed that 51% of Americans believed Trump should be removed from office and 70% believed he had done unethical things.
Political reactions
During the trial on January 24, Senator Marsha Blackburn (Republican, Tennessee) tweeted her disdain for the Director for European Affairs for the United States National Security Council, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, questioning his patriotism for testifying against the president.{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/23/politics/marsha-blackburn-tweet-vindman-whistleblower/index.html|title=Republican senator attacks National Security Council aide and Purple Heart recipient who testified in impeachment probe|first=Caroline|last=Kelly|publisher=CNN|date=January 24, 2020|access-date=January 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125233047/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/23/politics/marsha-blackburn-tweet-vindman-whistleblower/index.html|archive-date=January 25, 2020|url-status=live}}{{efn|Vindman's testimony corroborates that of Fiona Hill and William B. Taylor Jr.{{Cite news |newspaper=The Washington Post |title=White House official to tell impeachment investigators he feared President Trump's demands of Ukraine would undermine national security |date=October 28, 2019 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/white-house-official-to-tell-impeachment-investigators-he-feared-trumps-demands-of-ukraine-would-undermine-national-security/2019/10/28/0fc8ab46-f9f1-11e9-ac8c-8eced29ca6ef_story.html |first=Greg |last=Jaffe |access-date=November 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031211901/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/white-house-official-to-tell-impeachment-investigators-he-feared-trumps-demands-of-ukraine-would-undermine-national-security/2019/10/28/0fc8ab46-f9f1-11e9-ac8c-8eced29ca6ef_story.html |archive-date=October 31, 2019 |url-status=live }}}}
On January 27, former vice president Joe Biden pushed for witnesses but said he would not testify because he had nothing to defend.{{cite web|publisher=Fox News|title=Biden pushes for witnesses in impeachment trial but says of his Ukraine role, 'What is there to defend?'|first=Vandana|last=Rambaran|date=January 27, 2020|access-date=January 28, 2020|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-pushes-for-witnesses-in-impeachment-trial-but-says-of-ukraine-role-what-is-there-to-defend|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128002057/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-pushes-for-witnesses-in-impeachment-trial-but-says-of-ukraine-role-what-is-there-to-defend|archive-date=January 28, 2020|url-status=live}}{{better source needed|date=February 2020}} The following day, Senator Joni Ernst (Republican, Iowa) said she believed the trial would hurt Biden in the Iowa caucuses on February 3. A Biden spokesperson replied, "Senator Ernst just said the quiet part out loud: Republicans are terrified that Joe Biden will be the Democratic nominee, defeat Donald Trump, and help progressives gain seats in the House and take the Senate."{{cite web|publisher=CNN|title=GOP senator questions if Iowa Democrats will support Biden after impeachment trial|date=January 28, 2020|access-date=January 28, 2020|first1=Veronica|last1=Stracqualursi|first2=Arlette|last2=Saenz|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/28/politics/biden-ernst-iowa-primary/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128184611/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/28/politics/biden-ernst-iowa-primary/index.html|archive-date=January 28, 2020|url-status=live}}
Steve Benen, who writes for The Rachel Maddow Show, reported on January 28 that former Trump White House chief of staff General John F. Kelly responded to Trump's downplaying of Bolton's book by saying, "If John Bolton says that in the book, I believe John Bolton." Benen notes that Kelly attributes Bolton with honesty, integrity, and character, but fails to apply the same terms to the president.{{cite web|website=MSNBC/The Rachel Maddow Blog|title=Ignoring Trump, John Kelly says, 'I believe John Bolton'|first=Steven|last=Benen|date=January 28, 2020|access-date=January 29, 2020|url=http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/ignoring-trump-john-kelly-says-i-believe-john-bolton|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200209182234/http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/ignoring-trump-john-kelly-says-i-believe-john-bolton|archive-date=February 9, 2020|url-status=live}} Benen also quoted Senator Roy Blunt (Republican, Missouri) as rejecting witnesses, saying he did not want to "stretch this out with no change in outcome".{{cite web|url=http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/making-the-case-against-witnesses-gops-blunt-says-bit-too-much|title=Making the case against witnesses, GOP's Blunt says a bit too much|first=Steve|last=Benen|publisher=MSNBC|date=January 28, 2020|access-date=January 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128182853/http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/making-the-case-against-witnesses-gops-blunt-says-bit-too-much|archive-date=January 28, 2020|url-status=live}}
The White House on January 23 issued a formal threat to stop Bolton from publishing his book, The Room Where It Happened, citing national security concerns, according to CNN. Neither Bolton nor publisher Simon & Schuster responded to a request for comment.{{cite web|publisher=CNN|title=White House has issued formal threat to Bolton to keep him from publishing book|first=Jake|last=Tapper|date=January 29, 2020|access-date=January 29, 2020|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/29/politics/donald-trump-john-bolton-white-house-book/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129193020/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/29/politics/donald-trump-john-bolton-white-house-book/index.html|archive-date=January 29, 2020|url-status=live}}
House Speaker Pelosi said on January 30 that Trump's lawyers had trampled on the Constitution with their arguments that the president could not be impeached for using his office for political gain, and she suggested they should be disbarred.{{cite web|website=The Hill|date=January 30, 2020|access-date=January 31, 2020|first=Mike|last=Lillis|title=Pelosi says Trump lawyers have 'disgraced' themselves, suggests disbarment|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/480709-pelosi-says-trump-lawyers-have-disgraced-themselves-suggests-disbarment|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130220411/https://thehill.com/homenews/house/480709-pelosi-says-trump-lawyers-have-disgraced-themselves-suggests-disbarment|archive-date=January 30, 2020|url-status=live}} Two days after Trump's acquittal, she wrote a partisan opinion piece criticizing Republican senators as "accomplices to the president's wrongdoing" who were "normalizing lawlessness and rejecting the checks and balances of our Constitution".{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/nancy-pelosi-mcconnell-and-the-gop-senate-are-accomplices-to-trumps-wrongdoing/2020/02/07/d06582be-49e4-11ea-9164-d3154ad8a5cd_story.html |first=Nancy |last=Pelosi |title=Nancy Pelosi: McConnell and the GOP Senate are accomplices to Trump's wrongdoing |date=February 7, 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=February 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200208095503/https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/nancy-pelosi-mcconnell-and-the-gop-senate-are-accomplices-to-trumps-wrongdoing/2020/02/07/d06582be-49e4-11ea-9164-d3154ad8a5cd_story.html |archive-date=February 8, 2020 |url-status=live }}
Former Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh said on January 31 that the vote not to call witnesses was "Absolutely cowardly", going on to state "I'm a Republican running for president.{{nbsp}}... these Senate Republicans{{nbsp}}... deserve to pay a big price."{{cite web|website=The Raw Story|title='Absolutely cowardly!' Ex-Tea Party lawmaker delivers brutal verdict on GOP's impending Trump acquittal|url=https://www.rawstory.com/2020/01/absolutely-cowardly-ex-tea-party-lawmaker-delivers-brutal-verdict-on-gops-impending-trump-acquittal/|date=January 31, 2020|access-date=January 31, 2020|first=Brad|last=Reed|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201025812/https://www.rawstory.com/2020/01/absolutely-cowardly-ex-tea-party-lawmaker-delivers-brutal-verdict-on-gops-impending-trump-acquittal/|archive-date=February 1, 2020|url-status=live}}
While they voted against witnesses, Senator Rob Portman (Republican, Ohio) called Trump's actions "wrong and inappropriate", and Senator Lamar Alexander (Republican, Tennessee) said they were inappropriate, but not bad enough to convict the president.{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/1801d682a79f1bdbde26cd59e36e5741|title=GOP senators seek to acquit Trump without condoning conduct|first=Eric|last=Tucker|work=Associated Press|date=January 31, 2020|access-date=February 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201160653/https://apnews.com/1801d682a79f1bdbde26cd59e36e5741|archive-date=February 1, 2020|url-status=live}} Alexander said the House of Representatives proved the case that Trump withheld military aid to Ukraine to encourage its government to investigate the Bidens, but concluded that the consequences of the president's actions should be decided in the next election.{{cite web |last1=Knutson |first1=Jacob |title=GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander says House proved Trump withheld aid to pressure Ukraine |url=https://www.axios.com/trump-impeachment-trial-sen-alexander-dab4c5f7-f99c-4151-ae04-836f0a502662.html |date=February 2, 2020 |website=Axios |access-date=February 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203065317/https://www.axios.com/trump-impeachment-trial-sen-alexander-dab4c5f7-f99c-4151-ae04-836f0a502662.html |archive-date=February 3, 2020 |url-status=live }} Senator Susan Collins (Republican, Maine) said she believes Trump has learned his lesson from the Ukraine scandal and his impeachment, but she later said that "hopes" was a better word for it after Trump maintained that he did nothing wrong in response to Collins' comments.{{cite web |last1=Moye |first1=David |title=Susan Collins Regrets Saying She Believed Trump Has Learned Lesson |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/susan-collins-donald-trump-impeachment_n_5e3b2cd9c5b6b70886f96878 |website=HuffPost |date=February 5, 2020 |access-date=February 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200211054445/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/susan-collins-donald-trump-impeachment_n_5e3b2cd9c5b6b70886f96878 |archive-date=February 11, 2020 |url-status=live }}
With his vote to convict Trump, Republican senator Mitt Romney became the first senator to vote to convict a president of his own political party. Romney said Trump was "guilty of an appalling abuse of public trust", saying, "Corrupting an election to keep oneself in office is perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one's oath of office that I can imagine."{{cite news |last1=Libby |first1=Cathey |title=Invoking his faith, an emotional Mitt Romney explains vote to convict Trump |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/invoking-faith-emotional-mitt-romney-announces-hell-vote/story?id=68779768 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |work=ABC News |date=February 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207030504/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/invoking-faith-emotional-mitt-romney-announces-hell-vote/story?id=68779768 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |url-status=live }}
Aftermath
After being apparently smeared by Rudy Giuliani and Lev Parnas, former ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch announced her retirement from the State Department on January 31, 2020.{{cite web|website=Business Insider|title=Key witness in the impeachment inquiry Marie Yovanovitch retires from the State Department after being ousted following an apparent smear campaign|author=Lauren Frias|date=January 31, 2020|access-date=February 7, 2020|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/key-impeachment-witness-marie-yovanovitch-retires-from-state-department-2020-1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201125839/https://www.businessinsider.com/key-impeachment-witness-marie-yovanovitch-retires-from-state-department-2020-1|archive-date=February 1, 2020|url-status=live}}
On February 6, the day after the trial ended, Trump gave a speech to a large group of supporters to "discuss our country's victory on the impeachment hoax".{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/481723-trump-to-make-statement-on-impeachment-victory-on-thursday|title=Trump to make statement on impeachment 'victory' on Thursday|last1=Samuels|first1=Brett|last2=Chalfant|first2=Morgan|date=February 5, 2020|work=The Hill|access-date=February 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206141149/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/481723-trump-to-make-statement-on-impeachment-victory-on-thursday|archive-date=February 6, 2020|url-status=live}} He held up a copy of The Washington Post with the headline "Trump Acquitted", saying "It's the only good headline I've ever had in The Washington Post."{{cite news|url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/02/06/donald-trump-takes-victory-lap-blasting-democrats-and-swearing-during-white-house-speech/|title=Trump takes a victory lap, blasting Democrats on impeachment and calling out Russiagate|last=Sobey|first=Rick|date=February 6, 2020|work=Boston Herald|access-date=February 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207133749/https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/02/06/donald-trump-takes-victory-lap-blasting-democrats-and-swearing-during-white-house-speech/|archive-date=February 7, 2020|url-status=live}} He said, "We've been going through this now for over three years. It was evil, it was corrupt, it was dirty cops, it was leakers and liars. And this should never, ever happen to another president, ever."{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/06/politics/donald-trump-impeachment-victory-lap/index.html|title=Trump launches vindictive impeachment victory lap|last=Liptak|first=Kevin|date=February 6, 2020|work=CNN|access-date=February 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207183015/https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/06/politics/donald-trump-impeachment-victory-lap/index.html|archive-date=February 7, 2020|url-status=live}} He railed against perceived enemies including Mitt Romney, James Comey, and Robert Mueller, and said of Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, "In my opinion, it's almost like they want to destroy our country." The next day he told reporters that his impeachment should be "expunged" because it was a "total political hoax".{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-impeachment-live-updates/2020/02/07/8e7668a6-4998-11ea-bdbf-1dfb23249293_story.html|title=Trump fires Gordon Sondland, the second impeachment witness to be removed from his post Friday|last1=Wagner|first1=John|last2=Thebault|first2=Reis|date=February 7, 2020|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=February 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200208233937/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-impeachment-live-updates/2020/02/07/8e7668a6-4998-11ea-bdbf-1dfb23249293_story.html|archive-date=February 8, 2020|url-status=live}}
On February 7, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and his brother Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman were escorted from the White House and reassigned to the Defense Department and the U.S. Army's Office of General Counsel, respectively, in apparent retaliation for their testimony.{{cite web|website=Business Insider|title='I'm not happy with him': Impeachment witness Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman was escorted from the White House on Friday|author=Sonam Sheth|date=February 7, 2020|access-date=February 7, 2020|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-considering-ousting-alexander-vindman-impeachment-witness-ukraine-report-2020-2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207045003/https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-considering-ousting-alexander-vindman-impeachment-witness-ukraine-report-2020-2|archive-date=February 7, 2020|url-status=live}} {{cite web|website=Business Insider|title=Trump also fired the twin of impeachment witness Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman in apparent retaliation for his brother's testimony|author=Lauren Frias|date=February 7, 2020|access-date=February 7, 2020|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/yevgeny-vindman-ousted-white-house-same-time-as-alex-2020-2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200208143207/https://www.businessinsider.com/yevgeny-vindman-ousted-white-house-same-time-as-alex-2020-2|archive-date=February 8, 2020|url-status=live}} {{cite web |website=Vox |title=Alexander Vindman, a key impeachment witness, is dismissed from the White House |author=Jen Kirby |date=February 7, 2020 |url=https://www.vox.com/2020/2/7/21127988/vindman-impeachment-trump-white-house |access-date=February 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220023321/https://www.vox.com/2020/2/7/21127988/vindman-impeachment-trump-white-house |archive-date=February 20, 2020 |url-status=live }} At that time, Alexander Vindman was planning to leave the National Security Council in July; in July, he announced he would retire from the U.S. Army, claiming that Trump allies continued to retaliate against him by limiting his chances at promotion.{{Cite web|last=Sciutto|first=Jim|date=July 8, 2020|title=Exclusive: Vindman to retire from military. His lawyer blames White House 'campaign of bullying, intimidation and retaliation'|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/08/politics/vindman-retiring-alleged-white-house-retaliation/index.html|access-date=July 8, 2020|website=CNN}}
Also on February 7, ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland who had also testified in the House inquiry, was recalled from his post.{{cite web|website=CNN Politics|title=Trump fires two major impeachment figures—Alexander Vindman and Gordon Sondland|author1=Kaitlan Collins|author2=Kristen Holmes|author3=Katelyn Polantz|date=February 8, 2020|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/07/politics/alex-vindman-donald-trump-impeachment/index.html|access-date=February 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220094844/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/07/politics/alex-vindman-donald-trump-impeachment/index.html|archive-date=February 20, 2020|url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/07/us/politics/alexander-vindman-gordon-sondland-fired.html |first1=Peter |last1=Baker |first2=Maggie |last2=Haberman |author-link2=Maggie Haberman |first3=Danny |last3=Hakim |first4=Michael S. |last4=Schmidt |title=Trump Fires Gordon Sondland Hours After Dismissing Impeachment Witness Alexander Vindman |date=February 7, 2020 |work=The New York Times |access-date=February 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200208075021/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/07/us/politics/alexander-vindman-gordon-sondland-fired.html |archive-date=February 8, 2020 |url-status=live }} Following the sackings, Pelosi, Schiff, and Schumer accused Trump of acting in retaliation for Vindman testifying in response to a subpoena from the House impeachment inquiry.{{cite news |last1=Rampton |first1=Roberta |last2=Kelly |first2=Amitaz |last3=Ordoñez |first3=Franco |title=Vindman, Sondland Removed As Trump Purges Impeachment Witnesses |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/02/07/803904417/lt-col-alexander-vindman-escorted-out-of-the-white-house-his-lawyer-says |access-date=February 8, 2020 |work=NPR |date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200208003035/https://www.npr.org/2020/02/07/803904417/lt-col-alexander-vindman-escorted-out-of-the-white-house-his-lawyer-says |archive-date=February 8, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Santucci |first1=Jeanine |title=Nancy Pelosi: Trump impeachment witness Vindman's 'shameful' firing a 'brazen act of retaliation' |date=February 8, 2020 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/02/08/trump-firing-impeachment-witness-alexander-vindman-brazen-act-retaliation-pelosi/4700103002/ |website=USA Today |access-date=February 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200210213220/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/02/08/trump-firing-impeachment-witness-alexander-vindman-brazen-act-retaliation-pelosi/4700103002/ |archive-date=February 10, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{cite news|last1=Nakamura|first1=David|last2=Miller|first2=Greg|date=February 8, 2020|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/not-just-chilling-but-frightening-inside-vindmans-ouster-amid-fears-of-further-retaliation-by-trump/2020/02/08/7d5ae666-4a90-11ea-bdbf-1dfb23249293_story.html|title=Inside Vindman's ouster amid fears of further retaliation by Trump|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=February 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200211025311/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/not-just-chilling-but-frightening-inside-vindmans-ouster-amid-fears-of-further-retaliation-by-trump/2020/02/08/7d5ae666-4a90-11ea-bdbf-1dfb23249293_story.html|archive-date=February 11, 2020|url-status=live}}{{cite web |author=Zachary Cohen and Paul LeBlanc |title=Schumer calls on 74 inspectors general to investigate witness retaliation after Vindman ouster |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/10/politics/schumer-letter-retaliation-protected-disclosures/index.html |website=CNN |date=February 10, 2020 |access-date=February 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200211102049/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/10/politics/schumer-letter-retaliation-protected-disclosures/index.html |archive-date=February 11, 2020 |url-status=live }}
Days after his acquittal, Trump acknowledged that he had directed Giuliani to go to Ukraine, after denying he had prior to his impeachment.{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-26/trump-denies-sending-rudy-giuliani-to-ukraine-for-biden-probe |first=Justin |last=Sink |work=Bloomberg News |date=November 26, 2019 |title=Trump Denies Sending Rudy Giuliani to Ukraine for Biden Probe |access-date=December 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224050345/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-26/trump-denies-sending-rudy-giuliani-to-ukraine-for-biden-probe |archive-date=December 24, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/13/politics/trump-rudy-giuliani-ukraine-interview/index.html |title=Trump contradicts past denials, admits sending Giuliani to Ukraine - CNNPolitics |website=CNN |date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=February 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214001129/https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/13/politics/trump-rudy-giuliani-ukraine-interview/index.html |archive-date=February 14, 2020 |url-status=live }}
In early February 2020, Lindsey Graham publicly said Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Richard Burr would subpoena the whistleblower to look at "whether or not the whistleblower had a bias". Later that month, Burr said, "I'm prepared to do whatever we have to to interview the whistleblower." Republican Senator John Cornyn has argued that there are "unresolved questions", including the whistleblower's "contact with [the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and its staff] and{{nbsp}}... if that was a result of a collaborative process between Mr. Schiff's staff and the whistleblower." Both Schiff and the whistleblower's lawyers have denied that Schiff played any role in creating the complaint.{{cite news |last1=Carney |first1=Jordain |title=Senate braces for fight over impeachment whistleblower testimony |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/483196-senate-braces-for-fight-over-impeachment-whistleblower-testimony |access-date=February 16, 2020 |work=The Hill |date=February 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217072732/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/483196-senate-braces-for-fight-over-impeachment-whistleblower-testimony |archive-date=February 17, 2020 |url-status=live }}
On February 21, director of the Office of Presidential Personnel John McEntee held a meeting to liaise for coordination among agencies which reportedly included him asking Cabinet liaisons to identify political appointees and career officials working against the President's agenda.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/were-cleaning-it-out-trump-embarks-on-expansive-search-for-disloyalty-as-administration-wide-purge-escalates/2020/02/21/870e6c56-54c1-11ea-b119-4faabac6674f_story.html |title=Trump embarks on expansive search for disloyalty as administration-wide purge escalates - the Washington Post |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223064348/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/were-cleaning-it-out-trump-embarks-on-expansive-search-for-disloyalty-as-administration-wide-purge-escalates/2020/02/21/870e6c56-54c1-11ea-b119-4faabac6674f_story.html |archive-date=February 23, 2020 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/22/us/politics/trump-disloyalty-turnover.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage |title=Trump's Efforts to Remove the Disloyal Heightens Unease Across His Administration |website=The New York Times |date=February 22, 2020 |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224155757/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/22/us/politics/trump-disloyalty-turnover.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage |archive-date=February 24, 2020 |url-status=live |last1=Baker |first1=Peter }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/21/politics/john-mcentee-disloyal-white-house-staffers/index.html |title=President's new personnel head tells agencies to look out for disloyal staffers - CNNPolitics |website=CNN |date=February 21, 2020 |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223064924/https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/21/politics/john-mcentee-disloyal-white-house-staffers/index.html |archive-date=February 23, 2020 |url-status=live }}
On April 3, late on a Friday evening, Trump notified the Congressional intelligence committees that he intended to fire Michael Atkinson, the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community. Trump's letter did not specify a reason for firing Atkinson. However he has criticized Atkinson for helping to start his impeachment when he told Congress about the existence of a whistleblower complaint, as the law required. In defending the firing, Trump stated that Atkinson is "not a big Trump fan". Trump was heavily criticized for the firing, which many members of Congress described as another abuse of power. Adam Schiff described the firing as "yet another blatant attempt by the president to gut the independence of the intelligence community and retaliate against those who dare to expose presidential wrongdoing". Michael Horowitz, the chair of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, also released a statement rebuking Trump and defending Atkinson's professionalism and standards.{{Cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/412d7f58-c73d-48da-81dd-2e7a8fd5d836 |title=Trump fires intelligence official who helped initiate impeachment |newspaper=Financial Times |date=April 4, 2020 |access-date=April 4, 2020}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/03/trump-fires-intelligence-community-inspector-general-164287 |title=Trump fires intelligence community watchdog who defied him on whistleblower complaint |website=Politico |date=April 3, 2020 |access-date=April 4, 2020}} One of the only public officials who openly supported Trump's firing of Atkinson was Attorney General William Barr. Barr originally had tried and failed to prevent Atkinson from informing Congress about the existence of a whistleblower complaint. Under Barr, the Justice Department also determined that no crimes needed to be investigated with regard to the extortion of Ukraine's government.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/barr-says-he-supports-trumps-ouster-of-intelligence-watchdog-who-received-whistleblower-complaint-that-helped-spark-impeachment/2020/04/10/8064386a-7aa8-11ea-9bee-c5bf9d2e3288_story.html |title=Barr says he supports Trump's ouster of intelligence watchdog who received whistleblower complaint that helped spark impeachment |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=April 10, 2020}} In justifying Atkinson's firing, some of Barr's statements about the actions of Atkinson and the DOJ, and the relevant laws and policies, were false.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/10/us/politics/barr-inspector-general-firing.html |title=Endorsing Trump's Firing of Inspector General, Barr Paints Distorted Picture |website=The New York Times |date=April 10, 2020 |access-date=April 10, 2020|last1=Savage |first1=Charlie }}
After the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol the House of Representatives voted to approve the second impeachment of Donald Trump on January 13, 2021, leading to the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump the following month.{{cite news |title=The 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/13/republicans-donald-trump-impeached-house |access-date=14 January 2021 |date=13 January 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Levine |first1=Sam |last2=Gambino |first2=Lauren |title=Donald Trump acquitted in second impeachment trial |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/13/donald-trump-acquitted-impeachment-trial |website=The Guardian |access-date=28 February 2021 |language=en |date=13 February 2021}}
Coverage
The trial was televised on all the major U.S. broadcast and cable television networks. Facebook and Twitter streamed the address online.
= Viewership =
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
| class="wikitable" | |
| Network | Viewers |
|---|---|
| style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| FNC | 2,534,000 |
| style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| MSNBC | 1,481,000 |
| style="background:#dfe2e9;"
| CBS | 1,474,000 |
| style="background:#dfe2e9;"
| ABC | 1,243,000 |
| style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| CNN | 1,134,000 |
| style="background:#dfe2e9;"
| NBC | 906,000 |
{{col-end}}
{{Color box|#dfe2e9|border=darkgray}} Broadcast networks
{{Color box|#e5d1cb|border=darkgray}} Cable news networks
See also
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.c-span.org/search/?sdate=01%2F16%2F2020&edate=01%2F31%2F2020&congressSelect=&yearSelect=&searchtype=Videos&sort=Most+Recent+Event&text=0&all%5B%5D=impeachment&all%5B%5D=trial Searchable videos of impeachment trial proceedings and related events], via C-SPAN
{{First impeachment and impeachment trial of Donald Trump}}
{{Donald Trump}}
{{First presidency of Donald Trump}}
{{Legal affairs of Donald Trump}}
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