Trump impeachment: Democrats wrap up case at Senate trial

Democrats have finished their arguments that Donald Trump incited the attack on the US Congress, warning “he can do this again” if he is not convicted.

Impeachment prosecutors used rioters’ own words to link Mr Trump to the violence while arguing last month’s riot had caused long-term harm as well.

Democrats also presented accounts from police, staff, intelligence officials and foreign media to pursue their case.

The former president’s defence team will present their arguments on Friday.
The Democratic-led House of Representatives impeached Mr Trump last month, accusing him of inciting the riot on the Capitol building on 6 January. Lawmakers from the House have been presenting their case to senators at his trial this week.

Mr Trump’s lawyers have argued he was using his right to freedom of speech when declaring last November’s presidential election fraudulent.
A two-thirds majority is required to convict Mr Trump in the evenly split 100-seat Senate, but an acquittal looks likely as the vast majority of Republican senators have remained loyal to him so far.

If Mr Trump is convicted, however, the Senate could also vote to bar him from holding elected office again.

The violent riot at the Capitol, which saw five people lose their lives, was an attempt by Trump supporters to stop the election result being certified.

What did Democrats say?
On Wednesday the trial was shown new footage of the violence Mr Trump is accused of inciting. Democrats sought to detail how Mr Trump sparked the attack on the Capitol and presented evidence that took senators step-by-step through the events of the day of the riot.

On Thursday, they embarked on the final point of their prosecution: the harm they say Mr Trump caused to property, people and democracy.

“Because impeachment, conviction and disqualification [from office] is not just about the past. It’s about the future,” Congressman Ted Lieu told the trial, after arguing Mr Trump had shown no remorse for his actions.

“It’s making sure that no future official, no future president does the same exact thing.”

BBC

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