White House, GOP senators discuss impeachment trial strategy

Top White House officials met Thursday with Republican senators to discuss strategy for a widely expected Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump but me decisions about its length or or tactics, two people familiar with session said.

Participants expressed more interest in voting as soon as y have 51 votes needed to acquit Trump than in setting a specific timetable for proceedings, according to one Senate GOP aide.

That aide and a senior White House official said a trial lasting two weeks was discussed but t agreed to. aides spoke on condition of anymity to describe a private meeting.

Thursday’s White House meeting, which one aide said lasted about an hour, came as House Intelligence Committee held its latest public hearing on wher to impeach Trump over his attempts to pressure Ukraine to help his 2020 reelection campaign.

Trump also h lunch Thursday with a different group of GOP senators, latest of several such lunches he’s h since House impeachment inquiry started in September. Senators said Trump brought up impeachment briefly but did t directly ask m for ir support and was in a good mood.

“I think he feels understandably unable to defend himself” because information surfacing in House hearings has been “useless,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.

Democratic-controlled House is expected to vote to impeach Trump in coming weeks.

A trial in GOP-run Senate on wher to remove him from office seems likely to follow. That chamber seems unlikely to produce two-thirds majority vote needed to oust him.

White House official said those at Thursday’s impeachment strategy session discussed possibly having trial, a short trial or a long one. person said Trump will make final decision on strategy.

Senate Majority Leer Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said his chamber would have “ choice” but to take up impeachment. He’s left open how long a trial would take.

Senate staffer said participants agreed that Republicans won’t be able to muster 51 votes to dismiss trial immediately. White House aide dismissed that as an opinion.

Republicans control Senate 53-47. Some GOP lawmakers have alrey expressed doubts about ending proceedings immediately, saying y must be seen as handling case against Trump seriously.

White House officials at Thursday’s meeting included acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, legislative affairs director Eric Ueland, counsel Pat Cipollone, counselor to president Kellyanne Conway and senior viser Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law.

Also attending were GOP Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Mike Lee of Utah, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Tom Cotton of Arkansas.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who has a fraught relationship with Trump, was among those who h lunch with him Thursday and said y were “cordial.”

A reporter asked Romney, his party’s 2012 presidential candidate, about an October tweet in which Trump called him “a pompous ‘ass.’”

“That’s as accurate as it is irrelevant,” Romney laughed.