President Donald Trump

It was predicted all over the world that President Donald Trump would survive impeachment or trial by the Senate ( where the Republicans have a majority). That was despite that the House of Representatives discarded him, hoping that he would end up in the scrap heap of history. Now, the Senate acquitted him on Wednesday 5 February of charges that he abused his power and obstructed Congress, New York Times reported. Republicans, according to the report, turned back an election-year attempt by House Democrats to remove him from office for pressuring a foreign power to incriminate his political rivals.

The tally for conviction, as New York Times put it, fell far below the 67-vote threshold necessary for removal and neither article of impeachment garnered even a simple majority. It added: “The first article, abuse of power, was rejected 48 to 52, and the second, obstruction of Congress, was defeated 47 to 53. Senator Mitt Romney, Republican of Utah, was the only member to break with his party, voting to remove Mr. Trump from office.”

The report has it further: “The votes, ending the third presidential impeachment trial in American history, were a resounding victory for Mr. Trump after five months of blaring scandal over Ukraine that embroiled Washington and threatened his presidency. But both sides agreed that the final judgment on Mr. Trump will be rendered by voters when they cast ballots in just nine months.”

New York Times went further:

“Trump aides claim ‘total vindication’ for the president but advise him to remain quiet for now. President Trump delivered the State of the Union address in the Capitol on Tuesday.

“Mr. Trump remained out of sight even as he was cleared by the Senate, forgoing an immediate victory lap, but announced on Twitter that he would make a statement on Thursday at noon from the White House “to discuss our Country’s VICTORY on the Impeachment Hoax!”

“The president abruptly canceled his only scheduled public appearance of the day without explanation when the White House scrubbed a joint statement with Juan Guaidó, the Venezuelan opposition leader recognized by the United States as the legitimate leader of his country.

“The president’s only immediate comment came in the form of a video that he posted on Twitter minutes after the Senate votes needling opponents who hoped to evict him from office by showing him on a Time magazine cover with campaign placards that say, “Trump 2024,” “Trump 2028,” “Trump 2032,” and so on until ending with “Trump 4EVA.”

“Mr. Trump told television anchors at a lunch on Tuesday that he hoped to give a speech after the Senate vote, and aides said the president would like to hold a news conference or give a short statement. But many of his advisers urged him against it, wanting to ease pressure on senators for whom the vote was politically difficult.

Contunue reading the remainig part of the story in New York Times