Senate votes to acquit Trump at impeachment trial

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Senators and staff members confer on the Senate floor. Associated Press/Senate Television

Senate votes to acquit Trump at impeachment trial

Seven Senate Republicans joined every Senate Democrat to vote against former President Donald Trump at his impeachment trial on Saturday—not nearly enough to reach the two-thirds threshold of senators needed to convict Trump of inciting the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The vote was 57-43. A conviction would have required 67 votes.

What were the Republicans’ arguments? Republican senators gave different reasons to acquit in the days leading up to the vote. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., said Trump had called for a “peaceful” protest prior to the riot and was “simply not guilty.” Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said new evidence that the rioters had long planned to storm the Capitol hurt the case against Trump. Other Republicans believed the Senate lacked jurisdiction to convict a private citizen who was no longer president.

Dig deeper: Read Jamie Dean’s report breaking down what happened during the Jan. 6 riot.

Timothy Lamer

Tim is executive editor of WORLD Commentary. He previously worked for the Media Research Center in Alexandria, Va. His work has also appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Weekly Standard.