Published 18:50 IST, January 22nd 2020
'I'd love to go': Donald Trump on attending his impeachment trial
As Senate adjourned the first day of the impeachment trial against Donald Trump in US, he said in Davos that he would 'love' to attend the proceedings.
As Senate adjourned the first day of the impeachment trial against Donald Trump in US, he said in Davos that he would 'love' to attend the proceedings but his lawyers 'might have a problem' with it on January 22. The US President has not only used his keynote speech at 50th World Economic Forum meeting to praise America's economy but also repeated his cry foul regarding impeachment and called it a 'hoax'.
Trump said, "I'd love to go, wouldn't that be great? Wouldn't that be beautiful? I'd love to sit right in the front row and stare in their corrupt faces. I'd love to do it."
The Republican-led Senate, on the other hand, rejected all 11 amendments offered by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's proposed rules. During the 13-hour session in the house, the impeachment trial turned into a partisan war with lawmakers killing Democrats' proposal with 53-47 votes. Not only just the amendments but when the house voted to adopt the proposed rules by McConnell, they were swiftly adopted with the exact same votes before adjourning for the day.
Trump praised his legal team
Trump in Davos praised his team who have also called the impeachment articles against the US leader as 'brazen and unlawful'. The POTUS admitted that he watched 'some' of the proceedings and praised the White House Counsel Pat Cipollone who is leading Trump's legal team saying 'was very proud' of the job he did at the trial along with the entire team.
The US leader also said that impeachment 'is so bad for our country', but also said that he wanted to see his former aides like the former national security advisor, John Bolton. However, crashing Democrats' hopes with the trial, Senate not only killed the proposal which would have issued a subpoena to Bolton, but also the amendment issuing a subpoena for Chief Justice John Roberts.
The Democrats have accused Trump of abusing his constitutional powers by asking his Ukrainian counterpart to start an investigation against political rival Joe Biden and withholding military assistance in return. The 45th US President has repeatedly said that 'crazy Nancy Pelosi' and 'Do Nothing Democrats' have planned the entire impeachment and also claims to have done nothing wrong. In the first formal response, even Trump's legal team has called the impeachment articles submitted by Democrats as 'constitutionally invalid'.
Updated 18:50 IST, January 22nd 2020