Trump acquitted at impeachment trial

By Veronica Rocha, Mike Hayes, Meg Wagner and Fernando Alfonso III, CNN

Updated 0303 GMT (1103 HKT) February 7, 2020
50 Posts
Sort byDropdown arrow
6:07 p.m. ET, February 5, 2020

Pelosi: "Republicans have normalized lawlessness and rejected the system of checks and balances"

Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the decision to acquit President Trump on the two articles of impeachment an act of "lawlessness" orchestrated by Sen. Mitch McConnell, a "rogue leader in the Senate who would cowardly abandon his duty to uphold the Constitution."

Pelosi released the statement this afternoon after Trump was acquitted of both abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

“President Trump was impeached with the support of a majority of the American people – a first in our nation’s history. And now he is the first President in history to face a bipartisan vote to convict him in the Senate. A full 75% of Americans and many members of the GOP Senate believe the President’s behavior is wrong. But the Senate chose instead to ignore the facts, the will of the American people and their duty to the Constitution," Pelosi said.

Pelosi added: "The President will boast that he has been acquitted. There can be no acquittal without a trial, and there is no trial without witnesses, documents and evidence. By suppressing the evidence and rejecting the most basic elements of a fair judicial process, the Republican Senate made themselves willing accomplices to the President’s cover-up."

5:34 p.m. ET, February 5, 2020

White House: The trial ended in Trump's "full vindication and exoneration"

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said the Senate's acquittal vote today is "full vindication and exoneration" for President Trump.

"As we have said all along, he is not guilty. The Senate voted to reject the baseless articles of impeachment, and only the President’s political opponents – all Democrats, and one failed Republican presidential candidate – voted for the manufactured impeachment articles," she said in a statement.

She added that despite the impeachment investigation and trial, Trump has "successfully advanced the interests of the United States and remained focused on the issues that matter to Americans."

5:28 p.m. ET, February 5, 2020

McConnell refuses to say whether Trump’s conduct was inappropriate

From CNN's Ali Zaslav, Manu Raju and Laurie Ure 

Mario Tama/Getty Images
Mario Tama/Getty Images

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to say whether President Trump's conduct was inappropriate when pressed multiple times by reporters at a news conference this afternoon after the Senate acquitted the President of both charges.

McConnell spoke about the political impact of impeachment saying it has been helpful for his members in difficult races. McConnell also said he was “surprised and disappointed” with GOP Sen. Mitt Romney’s vote to convict Trump on the first article of impeachment. 

“I can tell you this, right now, this is a political loser for them,” McConnell said, referring to Democrats. “They initiated it, they thought this was a great idea and at least for the short term, it has been a colossal political mistake."

Asked if he’s willing to concede if Trump did anything wrong, the Kentucky Republican dodged the question and said he wanted to talk about today and the "political impact of this.” Some of McConnell's GOP colleagues have said that it's inappropriate for the President to investigate a foreign rival.

“Listen, we voted,” McConnell said. “It’s time to move on ... as far as I’m concerned it’s in the rear-view mirror.”

 

5:11 p.m. ET, February 5, 2020

Trump says he'll make a statement about his acquittal tomorrow

President Trump just tweeted that he'll speak from the White House tomorrow about the impeachment trial, which ended today with his acquittal.

He said he'll deliver a statement at noon ET.

5:06 p.m. ET, February 5, 2020

Trump has been acquitted. Here's what could happen next.

From CNN's Ted Barrett and Jeremy Herb

Today, the Senate voted to acquit President Trump on two articles of impeachment.

On the article of abuse of power, the Senate found the President not guilty by a vote of 52-48, with Republican Sen. Mitt Romney breaking ranks and joining the Democrats voting not guilty. On the article of obstruction of congress, the Senate found him not guilty by a vote of 53-47.

Regardless of today's vote, Trump will remain impeached forever. Similarly, former President Bill Clinton was impeached by the House but acquitted in his Senate trial. Trump has joined Clinton and President Andrew Johnson as the only three Presidents in US history who have been impeached.

Today's acquittal brings nearly five months of the impeachment inquiry and trial that sprang forth from a whistleblower's complaint over Trump's comments to the President of Ukraine over the summer to an end.

But there could be more investigations to come: Democrats have vowed to continue investigating Trump and his administration, and that includes some unanswered questions that came up during this impeachment investigation.

A key development to watch is whether the Democratically-controlled House committees will subpoena former national security adviser John Bolton.

Bolton, who never testified during the House inquiry, said last month that he'd be willing to testify in the Senate trial if subpoenaed. The Senate voted against seeking witness testimony, but the House has said it'll continue its investigations and kept the door open to calling Bolton to testify.

5:02 p.m. ET, February 5, 2020

Here's what Trump tweeted just moments after his acquittal

From CNN's Nikki Carvajal 

In his first public reaction to being acquitted in the Senate, President Trump retweeted a video of a Time magazine cover showing Trump campaign signs from 2024, 2028 and beyond. 

This isn’t the first time the President has tweeted the video.

5:02 p.m. ET, February 5, 2020

GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham says he feels good after Trump acquittal

From CNN's Haley Byrd 

US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, left, and Senator Lindsey Graham walk past a bust of former US President Richard Nixon after the Senate impeachment vote.
US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, left, and Senator Lindsey Graham walk past a bust of former US President Richard Nixon after the Senate impeachment vote. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham shared how he was feeling after the historic vote to acquit President Trump on both articles of impeachment.

“I feel good," said Graham, an ally of Trump.

Graham said he was "surprised" by GOP Sen. Mitt Romney's vote to convict Trump on the abuse of power charge. Romney also voted to acquit Trump on the second article of impeachment, obstruction of Congress.

Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders said today “is not a good day for America.”

4:46 p.m. ET, February 5, 2020

Trump's impeachment trial is officially over

Senate TV
Senate TV

The Senate impeachment trial of President Trump officially adjourned after senators acquitted Trump on both articles of impeachment.

The vote on the first article, abuse of power, was 52-48, with GOP Sen. Mitt Romney joining Democrats in their "guilty" votes. The vote on the second article, obstruction of justice, was along party lines, 53-47.

The Senate is now in recess until next week.

Watch the impeachment trial adjourn:

4:40 p.m. ET, February 5, 2020

Protesters gather outside Capitol as Senate impeachment trial ends

From CNN's Lauren Fox and Ellie Kaufman 

Outside the Capitol, dozens of protesters were seen chanting as the second article of impeachment was read inside the chamber.

President Trump was acquitted just moments ago on both articles of impeachment, obstruction of Congress and abuse of power.

Numerous cars awaiting Senators were spotted idling near the protesters.

Sen. Mitt Romney’s car is parked directly in front of the Senate steps that lead to the chamber, away from the other cars.

Protesters are holding signs that spell "coverup."