Published 16:53 IST, February 15th 2021
UK PM Boris Johnson describes Donald Trump's acquittal as 'toings, froings and kerfuffle'
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday termed former US President Donald Trump’s impeachment and acquittal as “toings and froings and all the kerfuffle.”
- World News
- 2 min read
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday termed former US President Donald Trump’s impeachment and acquittal by the Senate of charge of inciting insurrection at the Capitol last month as "toings and froings and all the kerfuffle". Johnson’s remarks jarred with those of current US President Joe Biden who called Trump’s acquittal as "sad chapter in our history has reminded us that democracy is fragile" as the US Capitol attack, that Trump was being blamed for inciting, left at least five people dead including a police officer. The US President at the time told his supporters to "fight like hell" to overturn his defeat in the November Presidential elections on January 6 when Congress convened to certify Biden's victory.
The British Prime Minister had condemned the Capitol attack. However, on Sunday, during his appearance on CBS Face the Nation, when Johnson was asked about what signal the acquittal of a former US president, who was being blamed to stoke such violence while casting doubt on the democratic process, would reflect the world. Johnson said, "The clear message that we get from the proceedings in America is that after all the toings and froings and all the kerfuffle, American democracy is strong and the American constitution is strong and robust."
"Biden is not so sure. Democracy must always be defended”, he said, adding: “We must be ever vigilant … each of us has a duty and responsibility as Americans, and especially as leaders, to defend the truth and to defeat the lies.”
Donald Trump acquitted in Senate
In the Senate Chamber on Saturday, 57 senators voted to convict the former US President Donald Trump but a two-thirds majority in the 100-member body was required to formally punish and bar him from running for office again. At least seven Republican defections, among them Trump’s public critic Mitt Romney of Utah made it the most bipartisan impeachment verdict of four in the American history. Trump was acquitted similar to all impeachments of US presidents in the US history including Andrew Johnson in 1868, Bill Clinton in 1999 and himself in his first trial last year.
Updated 16:53 IST, February 15th 2021