Former US President Donald Trump was acquitted for a second time on Saturday by the Senate after Republicans vehemently voted against convicting him on the charge of inciting the January 6 riot at the Capitol that posed a threat to American democracy.
The trial which ran for five days saw Democratic prosecutors argue — bolstered by dramatic video of the January 6 riot — that Trump betrayed his oath by hyping up his supporters who ended up attacking the capitol when Biden was cleared to lead the US democracy.
The Senate voted 57 to 43 to convict him. Seven Republicans went over to the Democrat’s side to convict him and it was 10 votes short of the 67 needed for the two-thirds majority needed for conviction.
The other Republicans stood firmly by Trump thwarting his conviction even as after the vote McConnell delivered his harsh criticism against the former President blaming him for the riot that killed at least five people including a police officer.
Trump, who has been residing in his Florida club since bidding adieu to White House duties on January 20, welcomed the verdict as he mockingly denounced the proceedings as “yet another phase of the greatest witch hunt in the history of our country.”
He has also hinted at a possible political future as he said that “our historic, patriotic and beautiful movement to Make America Great Again has just begun. “We have so much work ahead of us, and soon we will emerge with a vision for a bright, radiant, and limitless American future,” he said in a statement.
