The US Senate on Tuesday adopted ground rules for President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, after nearly 13 hours of rancorous debate on day one.
Democratic prosecutors clashed with Mr Trump’s lawyers over the process, while Republicans rejected Democratic demands for more witnesses to be called.
US Senate TV | Reuters
The trial will resume on Wednesday with arguments by the prosecution, to be followed by the defence and questions.
Mr Trump is the third US president to face an impeachment trial.
He is charged with abuse of power and obstructing the congressional impeachment inquiry. He has denied wrongdoing and accused Democrats of trying to unseat him for political reasons.
“I’d love to go and sit in the front row and stare at their corrupt faces,” he told reporters at a hastily arranged press conference in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. But he said his lawyers might have a problem with that.
Mr Trump is on trial after he was impeached last month by the Democratic-led House of Representatives. But the Senate, which is controlled by his fellow Republicans, is not expected to convict and remove him from office.
The president is attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he again dismissed the accusations against him as “a total hoax”.
On the question of whether new witnesses would be called to the trial, he said he would leave that to senators to decide, but the White House has actively worked to block the appearance of certain officials.
Democrats have made it clear they wish to hear testimony from the former National Security Adviser, John Bolton. The Trump administration has said evidence from Mr Bolton would pose a national security threat – a claim dismissed by Democrats as a smokescreen.
What happens now?
U.S. Senate TV | Reuters
Senators have taken oaths to act as impartial jurors in a trial presided over by US Chief Justice John Roberts. House Democrats known as “impeachment managers” act as the prosecution, while Mr Trump’s legal team acts as the defence.
Under the rules approved by the Republican majority after a first day of proceedings that finished close to 02:00 local time (07:00 GMT), each side will be given up to 24 hours to lay out their case in opening arguments, over three days.
Senators are barred from live tweeting and from speaking to those sitting near them while the case is being heard. No outside reading materials are allowed to be brought in.
Opening arguments will begin on Wednesday afternoon. After this finishes, probably early next week, senators will have a chance to ask questions. They have been given 16 hours. Then attention will return again to the key issue of new witnesses and evidence.
Democrats want to hear from key White House aides who worked closely with Mr Trump, including acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and Mr Bolton. Republicans have so far blocked their attempts.
