‘It’s a hoax’: Trump rants as impeachment trial opens
Senators sworn in ahead of trial which begins next week
Donald Trump has furiously protested his innocence after the lawmakers of the US Senate were sworn in yesterday as jurors for the US president’s impeachment trial.
Seven impeachment managers from the House, led by the intelligence chair, Adam Schiff, were announced in the chamber by the sergeant at arms, Paul Irving, reading from a historic script.
“Hear ye, hear ye,” said Irving. ‘‘All persons are commanded to keep silence, on pain of imprisonment, while the House of Representatives is exhibiting to the Senate of the United States articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A few hours later, Trump gave his own verdict from behind his desk in the Oval Office. The Independent says the president embarked on “a rant that included at least nine denials”.
“Well I think it should go very quickly, it’s a hoax. It’s a hoax. Everybody knows that,” Trump said. “It’s a complete hoax. The whole thing with Ukraine. So you have a perfect phone call — it was actually two phone calls, you people don’t report that. They were both perfect calls. In fact probably among the nicest calls I’ve ever met — made to foreign leaders.”
He added: “Everything was perfect, and they impeached.”
Shortly after his Oval Office tirade, perhaps feeling he hadn’t got his point across, Trump wrote on Twitter: “I JUST GOT IMPEACHED FOR MAKING A PERFECT PHONE CALL!”
However, the case against him continues to mount. Yesterday morning, the president was hit with fresh allegations of wrongdoing by an agency within his own administration.
The Government Accountability Office published a finding that the suspension last year of military aid for Ukraine at Trump’s direction violated laws governing the disbursement of congressionally appropriated funds.
Additionally, Lev Parnas, an associate of Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, told CNN that Trump “knew exactly what was going on,” describing a plot that he said was “all about 2020”.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Making a police state out of the liberal university'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
8 looming climate tipping points that imperil our planet
The Explainer New reports detail the thresholds we may be close to crossing
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Try 6 free issues of The Week Junior
Spark your child's curiosity with The Week Junior - the award-winning current affairs magazine for 8-14s.
By The Week Published
-
'Can we — the people who have bought so much already — really keep buying more?'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
'Presidential debates are more performance art than actual ways to inform'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Trump, DeSantis meet for first time since primary
Speed Read The former president and the Florida governor have seemingly mended their rivalry
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Justices set to punt on Trump immunity case
Speed Read Conservative justices signaled support for Trump's protection from criminal charges
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Biden is smart to keep the border-security pressure on'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Arizona grand jury indicts 18 in Trump fake elector plot
Speed Read The state charged Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani and other Trump allies in 2020 election interference case
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Voters know Biden and Trump all too well'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Who will win the 2024 presidential election?
In Depth Election year is here. Who are pollsters and experts predicting to win the White House?
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published