WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump vowed Tuesday that the “tyranny” of leftist leader Nicolas Maduro will be “smashed,” as he welcomed Venezuela’s opposition leader to his annual State of the Union address. “Maduro is an illegitimate ruler, a tyrant who brutalizes his people. But Maduro’s grip of tyranny will be smashed and broken,” Trump said as he introduced Juan Guaido — considered interim president by more than 60 countries — who […]
Tag: impeachment
Trump set for midweek acquittal after witnesses blocked
by Chris Lefkow Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United Stares (AFP) — The US Senate on Friday rebuffed Democratic calls for new witnesses at President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, paving the way for his acquittal next week of charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Following the 51-49 vote, the Senate scheduled four hours of closing arguments by Democratic prosecutors and White House defense lawyers on Monday and a vote for acquittal on […]
US Senate poised for crucial vote on witnesses at Trump trial
by Chris Lefkow WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US senators wrapped up two days of exhaustive questioning of House prosecutors and White House lawyers at President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, setting the stage for a showdown vote on Friday on Democratic demands for new witnesses. Chief Democratic prosecutor Adam Schiff, in a last-ditch bid to win over Republican senators wary of a drawn-out process, proposed a one-week time frame to secure new witness testimony. “Let’s […]
Trump backers and critics clash as impeachment trial nears
by Brian KNOWLTON WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Donald Trump’s defenders and supporters skirmished over the airwaves on Sunday a day after the US president’s legal team dismissed his impeachment trial as unconstitutional and dangerous. Coming two days before Trump’s trial opens in the Senate, the clashing arguments offered an early taste of the historic drama to play out in the coming weeks. Beginning Tuesday, the chamber will meet six hours a day for six […]
Trump lawyers present defense for ‘dangerous’ impeachment
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump’s legal team presented Saturday its line of defense for his upcoming impeachment trial, a process they dismissed as unconstitutional and “dangerous.” It was the first time the team presented its arguments, modeled on those put forward since December by Trump and his fellow Republicans. White House counsel Pat Cipollone will be lead lawyer, backed by Trump’s personal attorney Jay Sekulow. They will be joined by Ken […]
Ken Starr, celebrity lawyer Dershowitz join Trump defense team
by Sebastian Smith Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Ken Starr, who was at the center of Bill Clinton’s impeachment in the 1990s, and America’s biggest celebrity lawyer Alan Dershowitz were announced Friday to be joining President Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment defense. The administration has yet to unveil the full team but confirmed that White House counsel Pat Cipollone will be lead lawyer, backed by Trump’s personal attorney Jay Sekulow. “President Trump has done […]
US Senate prepares to set Trump trial in motion
by Paul HANDLEY Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Articles of impeachment charging President Donald Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress will be formally read to the Senate Thursday, setting in motion a historic trial that threatens the US leader with removal from office. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts will then be sworn in to preside over the trial and senators sworn in as jurors, as preparations get […]
Pelosi signs articles of impeachment against Trump, House delivers them to Senate
WASHINGTON, DC (AFP) — Two articles of impeachment against Donald Trump were delivered from the US House to the Senate on Wednesday, setting in motion the trial of the 45th US president. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed the articles, which charge Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, before they were ceremonially walked through the Capitol to the Republican-controlled Senate. “So sad, so tragic for our country, that the actions taken by […]
Trump seeks rapid exoneration in Senate after impeachment
by Paul HANDLEY Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump pressed his Republican allies Thursday to exert rigid control of his Senate trial and ensure a swift exoneration, a day after he was impeached in a historic rebuke by the House of Representatives. A bitter fight looms over the coming trial, expected to begin as early as the second week of January, with Senate leaders already drawing battle lines […]
Ukraine says Trump impeachment ‘internal US issue’
KIEV, Ukraine (AFP) — Ukraine on Thursday brushed off the impeachment of Donald Trump an a US “internal issue”, despite the process being triggered by a telephone conversation between the American leader and his Ukrainian counterpart. Trump was impeached on Wednesday by the House of Representatives for abuse of power over the July conversation with President Volodymyr Zelensky. “Ukraine does not interfere in the internal affairs of any state,” Zelensky’s spokeswoman Yuliya Mendel told […]
Russian President Putin says US President Trump’s impeachment based on ‘made-up grounds’
MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that the impeachment of Donald Trump was based on “made-up” grounds, adding he did not believe it marked the end of the US president. “It still needs to go through the Senate, where the Republicans have a majority,” Putin said after the House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump for abuse of power. “And it is hardly likely that they are going to push […]
UPDATED: US House impeaches President Trump for abuse of power
by Michael Mathes with Sebastian Smith in Battle Creek, Michigan Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump was impeached for abuse of power in a historic vote in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, setting up a Senate trial on removing him from office after three turbulent years. By a 230 to 197 vote in the Democratic-majority House, the 45th US president became just the third occupant of the White […]





