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Trump cleared by US Senate after Democrats fail to secure two-thirds majority

Former US President Donald Trump has been acquitted by the US Senate of inciting January's riots ...
Stephen McNeice
Stephen McNeice

21.21 13 Feb 2021


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Trump cleared by US Senate aft...

Trump cleared by US Senate after Democrats fail to secure two-thirds majority

Stephen McNeice
Stephen McNeice

21.21 13 Feb 2021


Share this article


Former US President Donald Trump has been acquitted by the US Senate of inciting January's riots at the US Capitol.

Senators voted 57 to 43 to convict him of inciting it, after he'd earlier become the first US President to be impeached by the House of Representatives twice.

However, a two-thirds supermajority was required - meaning 17 Republicans would have had to cross the aisle and vote against their party's former president.

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In the end, seven Republicans voted to convict Trump - Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, Richard Burr, Lisa Murkowski, Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse and Pat Toomey.

The Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell was among those who voted to acquit.

All Democrats and independents voted to convict Trump.

The vote followed a busy day in the Senate, that nearly saw the trial process significantly extended after a bid to call witnesses.

However, an agreement was eventually reached between the two legal teams that saw the trial wrap up swiftly.

Main image: Picture by: AP/Press Association Images

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