US Senate expected to acquit President Donald Trump after divisive impeachment
Photo: Senate Television via APThe US Senate is scheduled to take a final vote today on the conviction or acquittal of President Donald Trump.
The House of Representatives impeached Trump in December on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. But it is almost certain that the 45th president will be acquitted. Republicans control 53 seats in the Senate, and almost all have indicated that they plan to acquit the president. As such, supporters of Trump’s conviction will fall well short of the necessary two-thirds majority required for conviction and removal from office.
While some Democrats have expressed desire to continue investigating the president, the party is likely to shift to removing the president in 2020 at the election. Although national-level polling suggested a low probability of Trump winning the 2016 election, the majority of polls have the top Democratic contenders—Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren—defeating Trump in the general election by 2-10%.
Nevertheless, a thriving US economy—with stock market records being broken daily and unemployment at a historical low—combined with the rallying of Trump-backers to his defence throughout the impeachment process, could see the president again defy the polls and secure a re-election victory come November.
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