Trump trial: Here's what happened on the fourth day
In a sentence, in a paragraph and in 100 words - Sky News tells you what you need to know about what's happened in the Senate.
Saturday 25 January 2020 15:24, UK
Here is what happened on day four of Donald Trump's impeachment trial.
In a sentence:
Democrats wrapped up their opening arguments after three long days, paving the way for the White House to begin what they say will be a "robust" defence.
In a paragraph:
The Democrats' three days played out as expected, with them using all of their allocated time to lay out their arguments against Donald Trump in forensic detail. Politicians on both sides of the aisle seemed impressed by the preparation of the impeachment managers, who spoke for hours on end. That said, it seems unlikely that any Republican senators had their minds changed on the central questions, or even were paying close attention - many of them playing with fidget spinners and sketching in notebooks as the evidence went on.
In 100 words:
Four days in, it is as if there are twin trials happening in Washington, with two entirely different narratives playing out. The Democrats have presented their arguments as expected, using video evidence from their own investigations at the end of last year, and even the President's own words against him. They have laid out the case that President Trump abused his power, and then sought to cover it up. The moment the Senate pauses, though, Republicans rush to the television cameras outside to discredit what has just been said - some rejecting the basis of the case outright, others saying that Trump's actions did not meet the standard of impeachment.
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It's a state reflected in the minds of Americans, too. If the latest polls are a guide, the public are as deeply divided on the issue as they were when the impeachment process began in September. What is new is an indication that the majority of people would want to hear from new witnesses during this trial, which will become the central question of the second week in this trial.
Today (Saturday) the White House have their first main opportunity to place their narrative onto the record, seeking to paint Joe Biden and his family as the ones at fault.
Quote of the day:
There is a toxic mess at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and I humbly suggest that it is our collective job on behalf of the American people to try and clean it up.
Trump tweet of the day: