Trump also jumped back into the fray, issuing a series of Twitter broadsides against Democrats. And the White House paved the way for some “counter-programming” measures next week, including a presidential signing of the new North American trade deal and the unveiling of Trump’s long-awaited Middle East peace plan.
What’s happening Friday?
The Senate reconvenes at 1:00 p.m. for the trial, and House Democrats plan to use their final day of opening arguments by outlining Trump’s alleged obstruction of Congress and why it requires his ouster under the Constitution.
Trump’s legal defense team will get to tell its side of the story beginning on Saturday. Meanwhile, the debate over whether senators should call additional witnesses in the trial will continue.
10:43 P.M.
Schiff takes on a key GOP talking point
For Senate Republicans who may acknowledge that Trump is guilty of pressuring Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden, but add that it’s not worth ousting him from the presidency just months before an election, Rep. Adam Schiff has a response: he simply can’t be trusted to stay in office any longer.
“Donald Trump chose Rudy Giuliani over his own intelligence agencies. He chose Rudy Giuliani over his own FBI director. He chose Rudy Giuliani over his own national security advisers,” Schiff said. “That makes him dangerous — to us, to our country.”
In his final remarks of the night, Schiff added: “If you find him guilty, you must find that he should be removed. Because right matters. Because right matters. And the truth matters. Otherwise, we are lost.” — Andrew Desiderio
10:40 P.M.
Lt. Col. Vindman’s lawyer hits back at Marsha Blackburn
Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman’s lawyer denounced Sen. Marsha Blackburn after the Tennessee Republican took to Twitter to trash-talk the decorated veteran.
“That a member of the Senate – at a moment when the Senate is undertaking its most solemn responsibility – would choose to take to Twitter to spread slander about a member of the military is a testament to cowardice,” his lawyer Amb. David Pressman said in a statement.
Blackburn on Thursday had tweeted a string of accusations against Vindman, calling him a “vindictive” partisan out to get the president. She accused him of breaking the chain of command by leaking information to the whistleblower, whose report launched the impeachment investigation. It was the second time she attacked Vindman on Twitter.
The tweets were quickly criticized for disparaging a long-respected civil servant. Vindman, a National Security Council official who oversees Ukraine policy at the White House, testified before House investigators in October that he had reported Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian officials as “improper.” — Matthew Choi
9:15 P.M.
White House snubbed watchdog agency seeking info on Ukraine aid
The White House declined to provide documents to a congressional watchdog investigating President Donald Trump’s decision to withhold military aid from Ukraine, according to documents released Thursday by Sen. Chris Van Hollen.
The White House responded to the Government Accountability Office’s inquiry with a one-page letter on Dec. 20 citing a legal memo from the Office of Management and Budget that defended the hold on military aid as necessary to ensure spending the funds wouldn’t „conflict with the President’s foreign policy.“
Trump’s impeachment trial centers on his decision to freeze Ukraine’s military assistance.
The correspondence was part of what led GAO to accuse the Trump administration of blocking its inquiry and conclude last week that Trump’s decision to withhold military aid violated federal law. Read the full story. — Kyle Cheney and John Bresnahan
9:05 P.M.
Tillis relocates to the public gallery
After the Senate took a short break around 8:30 p.m., most senators took awhile getting back to their desks. But Sen. Thom Tillis decided to relocate entirely.
The North Carolina Republican took his seat for the late-night questioning in the public gallery, sitting by himself in the sparse third floor gallery. He was sitting a few seats behind writer Connie Schultz, who is married to Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown. — Burgess Everett
8:42 P.M.
The Senate’s cold case
It’s sniffle season in Washington.
Senators and impeachment managers alike are battling colds in the opening days of President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial.
Coughing, sneezing and nose-blowing have frequently punctuated the long hours of debate on the Senate floor, where all 100 senators are legally bound to remain seated in the chamber.
Senate clerks have been quick to dispense tissues — including a whole box to Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) — and cups of water. There was also a large bag of cough drops at the center of the crowded table for the House impeachment managers, stationed at the front of the chamber.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) had a whole pocketful of tissues in his jacket on Thursday, after blowing his nose with a brown napkin the day before. The 2020 presidential contender — who has broken into several coughing fits during the trial — kept a small tin of mints in his other pocket. — Sarah Ferris
8:03 P.M.
On tap for Trump next week: ‘Counter-programming’
President Donald Trump loves nothing more than controlling and dominating the news cycles, with the goal of always turning the coverage to his political advantage. Current and former White House aides call this “counter-programming.”
Expect to see this Trumpian tactic on display next week when, during the heart of the Senate impeachment trial, the White House hosts a slew of newly announced activities including the presidential signing of USMCA, a major trade deal with Mexico and Canada; a visit from top Israeli leaders; the unveiling of the long-awaited Middle East peace plan; and a campaign rally in New Jersey. That’s just the schedule Monday through Wednesday.
This is an overt attempt on the part of the White House to cast Trump as presidential and going about the work of governing, as Democrats pursue impeachment. (Clinton tried to same approach in the late 1990s, too).
But unlike Clinton, who privately seethed about the persecution he felt, Trump shows off his ire publicly. Just look at his Twitter feed on Wednesday and Thursday for his running commentary on impeachment, Ukraine, Rep. Adam Schiff and the latest punditry from Fox News. — Nancy Cook
7:50 P.M.
Graham: Bidens are fair game after Dems’ opening arguments
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, said he was perplexed by House Democrats’ decision to focus so much of their opening arguments on debunking the accusations against Hunter and Joe Biden Thursday, noting that makes the controversy fair game for the president’s defense team.
“I don’t know why they chose to do that. Joe Biden – if he was not before going to have to answer questions, he sure will now because the way they’ve conducted this trial,” Graham told a gaggle of reporters as senators took a 30-minute dinner break Thursday night.
The Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman soon followed up, though, by saying he still had no plans to support a GOP push for witnesses like Joe and Hunter Biden, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff or the still anonymous whistleblower.
“When it comes down to the vote, there will be a lot of pressure on me to call the whistleblower, to call Schiff, to call Hunter Biden and Joe Biden,” Graham told reporters. “I am not going to give into that pressure because I don’t think it will serve the Senate and the country well.”
The House impeachment managers used a significant amount of time during day two of their opening arguments to debunk the conspiracy theories surrounding Joe Biden and his efforts to root out corruption in Ukraine.
During the gaggle, Graham also offered insight into President Donald Trump’s mindset as the trial continues.
“He is bored. He is on the receiving end of this. If you ever been in one of these situations where it’s you being accused, it’s very emotional,” Graham said.
But will the president attend the trial at all, as has been floated?
“He hasn’t told me whether or not he wants to come but in case you’re listening, don’t come,” Graham added. — Heather Caygle
7:50 P.M.
Trump’s trial may hinge on Lamar Alexander
If you want to know how President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial could play out, keep your eye on Lamar Alexander.
On the most important question of the trial — whether or not to subpoena witnesses — the 79-year-old Tennessee Republican is a wild-card. Privately, senior Senate Republicans expect the vote to seek witness testimony to fail, but they are watching Alexander and several other Republicans closely. And wherever Alexander comes down is almost sure to be the majority position in the Senate.
Alexander was a key advocate of Mitch McConnell’s proposal to wait to hold a vote on new evidence until the initial stages of the trial are done. But unlike Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who are open to hearing from witnesses, Alexander has expressed no indication of how he will actually vote next week on the most critical roll call vote yet. Read the entire story. — Burgess Everett and John Bresnahan
6:42 P.M.
Uniting behind Derek Jeter?
If you had Derek Jeter on your impeachment trial Bingo card, time to collect your winnings.
The hall-of-fame shortstop was name-checked by House impeachment manager Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, who said that perhaps a deeply divided Congress could agree to investigate the one person out of 397 voters who opposed Jeter’s bid for Cooperstown.
“I understand that as House managers we certainly hope we can subpoena John Bolton, subpoena Mick Mulvaney,” he said. “But perhaps we can all agree to subpoena the Baseball Hall of Fame.”
Jeffries’ remarks on Jeter brought laughs and smiles from a number of Republicans, including Steve Daines of Montana and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee. But a few minutes later Jeffries launched into the impeachment case against Trump, prompting a return of the Republican stone faces. — Kyle Cheney and Burgess Everett
6:30 P.M.
Senate to get briefing Friday on coronavirus outbreak before trial
The Senate on Friday will receive a full briefing from top administration officials about the deadly virus rapidly spreading in China, just before the start of the impeachment trial.
The briefing, led by the Centers for Disease Control and State Department, will begin at 10:30 a.m., according to two Senate aides. The third day of House Democrats’ arguments against President Donald Trump will begin afterwards at 1 p.m.
The coronavirus — which has killed at least 18 people and infected hundreds more in China — was first confirmed in a U.S. patient in Washington State on Tuesday. Another U.S. patient, a college student in Texas, was quarantined on Thursday.
The World Health Organization has so far held off on declaring a global health emergency, a historic step that could trigger panic across the globe, though China has locked down cities of tens of millions of people. — Sarah Ferris and Heather Caygle
6:30 P.M.
Trump on trial: Un-Schiff-ting strategy
POLITICO’s Nerdcast podcast focuses on Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff’s background and the Intel chairman’s strategy during the historic impeachment trial. The Nerdcast is going daily with short episodes providing the most crucial Senate impeachment trial updates with a stable of POLITICO reporters and editors. Check out the episode here.
6:05 P.M.
Dems mount preemptive strike on Trump’s defense
House Democrats are trying to shatter President Donald Trump’s defense before it begins.
The seven House impeachment managers seeking Trump’s removal from office know they are about to cede the floor to the president’s legal team — perhaps for three full days — as soon as Saturday. So the House managers spent all day Thursday trying to preempt and outflank them.
It was a clear strategic choice by House Democrats. Anticipating that Trump’s team would proclaim that the president had a genuine interest in fighting corruption in Ukraine — justifying his request that the country’s president announce an investigation of Biden — Democrats instead repeatedly used the words of Trump’s own advisers and allies to knock down the theory. Read the full story. — Andrew Desiderio and Kyle Cheney
4:25 P.M.
Trial could finish by late next week
The Senate impeachment trial could wrap up by next Thursday or Friday if the White House decides not to use its full 24 hours for opening arguments, as the president’s lawyer Jay Sekulow suggested.
„We’re not going to try to run the clock out,“ Sekulow told reporters Thursday. „We’re going to do what we think — as our legal team thinks — is appropriate to present our case.“
Sekulow did not specify how much time the White House planned to use, saying „we’ll make that determination“ after the House impeachment managers finish their opening arguments.
The White House is set to present its opening arguments Saturday, which may be a shorter-than-usual day. If the president’s lawyers finish by Monday, the Senate can then move on to a 16-hour question and answer period. If a subsequent vote to subpoena additional witnesses and documents fails, the chamber can move to a final vote by late next week.
„I am confident that whether it is Saturday or Monday or Tuesday that the case will be made defending the president,“ Sekulow said. — Marianne LeVine
4:15 P.M.
Trump ‘pleased’ with trial so far
President Donald Trump took off for the annual RNC Winter Meeting in Florida with just a wave to the press gathered outside the White House.
Lately, he’s avoided stopping for the cameras on the South Lawn. The weather has been cold, but also it allows the president to let his tweets do the talking. Throughout the day, the president offered his thoughts on Twitter about his 2020 rivals and the impeachment proceedings.
“Most unfair & corrupt hearing in Congressional history!” The president tweeted.
Meanwhile, aides maintained that the president has been happy with how things are going on Capitol Hill.
“The president though has been very pleased with the way things are going for a myriad of reasons, one is because the evidence and facts prove he’s done nothing wrong,” deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley told reporters. “We’re looking forward to the chance to lay out our case, the attorneys are excited about that.”
Another aide monitoring the hearings declared they had “not seen anything new.” — Meridith McGraw
3:25 P.M.
Jerry Nadler ‘stunned’ Susan Collins into writing a note to John Roberts
Sen. Susan Collins, „stunned” by Rep. Jerry Nadler’s late-night diatribe this week against what he deemed a “cover-up” by Senate Republicans for President Donald Trump, said in an interview Thursday that she a note to Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
Collins said she believed the back and forth between Nadler (D-N.Y.) and White House Counsel Pat Cipollone violated Senate rules and felt compelled to point that out, even though senators are required to stay at their desks and not speak during the trial.
“It reminded me that if we were in a normal debate in the Senate, that the rule would be invoked to strike the words of the senator for impugning another senator. So I did write a note raising the issue of whether there’d been a violation of the rules,” Collins said. “I gave that note to Laura Dove and shortly thereafter the chief justice did admonish both sides. And I was glad that he did.” Read the full story. — Burgess Everett
3 P.M.
Lindsey Graham M.I.A.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler featured a familiar face in one of the many impeachment-related video clips shown on the Senate floor on Thursday.
But the person in question — Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) — was absent from the floor around 1:50 p.m. as his comments from 1999 filled the chamber.
“What’s a high crime?” Graham, who was one of the House GOP’s impeachment managers in President Bill Clinton’s trial, said in the clip. “How about an important person hurts someone of low means? It’s not very scholarly but I think it’s the truth.”
Graham had left the room about five minutes before Nadler played the clip, and didn’t return until just before 2 p.m. (He likely knew it was coming: Each senator had a copy of Nadler’s Powerpoint presentation, which laid out the arguments slide-by-slide).
As the clip played, Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) — who sits next to Graham — leaned over and appeared to pat the empty seat. A few other Republicans in the room also looked over to Graham’s desk as he remained outside the room.
When he returned, Graham appeared upbeat, leaning over to Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), who sat in the back room, whispering something and chuckling and putting his hands on Sasse’s shoulders. — Sarah Ferris
2:55 P.M.
Democrats try to quash allegations of Biden wrongdoing
Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), one of the managers, sought to debunk the allegations at the center of President Donald Trump’s request that Ukraine investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, saying the claims against Biden are “groundless.”
Garcia’s presentation included video clips of the witnesses who testified before House impeachment investigators last year, all of whom said Biden’s efforts to push out the former top Ukrainian prosecutor to benefit his son Hunter were in accordance with official U.S. policy. Garcia also made the case that Trump only undertook the alleged effort to pressure the Ukrainians until Biden jumped into the presidential race and presented a formidable challenge to Trump.
“It wasn’t until Biden began beating him in the polls that he began calling for the investigation,” Garcia said. Read the full story. — Andrew Desiderio
1:45 P.M.
Nadler: Trump’s conduct ‘puts even President Nixon to shame’
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) kicked off Democrats’ arguments on Thursday by making the case that President Donald Trump’s alleged misconduct “puts even President Nixon to shame.”
“This conduct is not ‘America First,’” Nadler said, in reference to Trump’s campaign slogan. “This conduct is Donald Trump first.”
Nadler’s comments opened up the second day of House Democrats’ opening arguments, which focus on the constitutional framework for Congress’ impeachment power, as it applies to the first article of impeachment: abuse of power. Democrats will delve into the second article — obstruction of Congress — on Friday.
The Judiciary Committee chairman also played a clip from Alan Dershowitz, a member of Trump’s defense team, who said in 1998 that an impeachable offense “certainly doesn’t have to be a crime.” Dershowitz has argued the opposite as it applies to Trump, and he is expected to make that argument on the Senate floor in the coming days. Read the full story. — Andrew Desiderio
1:35 P.M.
Schiff tries a little levity
Rep. Adam Schiff began day two of the House’s impeachment trial arguments with some self-deprecating humor.
„I’m not sure the chief justice is fully aware of just how rare it is, how extraordinary it is for the House members to be able to command the attention of senators sitting silently for hours or even for minutes, for that matter,“ he said slyly, referring to the senators on Wednesday who got out of their seats during the trial or were seen chatting.
„Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the morning starts out every day with the sergeant-at-arms warning you that if you don’t, you will be in prison,“ he continued. „It’s our hope that when the trial concludes and you’ve heard us and you’ve heard the president’s counsel over a series of long days that you don’t choose imprisonment instead of anything further.“
Senate Republicans, commanded to stay silent during the trial, didn’t noticably react. But one House Republican offered his own punchline, saying Schiff’s comment „came off like a joke written by Jerry Seinfeld but delivered by George Costanza.“ — Kyle Cheney
1:33 P.M.
Mulvaney becomes top Dem impeachment target
Democrats are zeroing in on Mick Mulvaney as their top demand for witness testimony during President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial.
In some Democrats’ view, all roads run through the acting White House chief of staff, who still technically runs the Office of Management and Budget, which froze millions in aid to Ukraine. That aid freeze is at the heart of the House’s articles of impeachment charging Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
“Mulvaney is most important. All of the testimony seems clear that this entire thing’s run through Mulvaney and Mulvaney’s the one talking to Trump on a regular basis,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told reporters on Thursday, even if he’s not optimistic he’ll ever hear from the conservative budget hawk. Read the full story. — Burgess Everett
1:25 P.M.
Warren on missing Iowa: ‘I have a responsibility to be here’
Presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren reiterated Thursday that it’s her responsibility to remain in the Senate while the impeachment trial is underway, instead of Iowa. “All I can do is my best,” the Massachusetts Democrat said when asked whether she could still win Iowa, given the need to be in Washington. “I have a responsibility to be here and I will be here.”
Several other senators running for president, including Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Michael Bennet of Colorado and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), are also balancing their trial duties with campaigning.
Some have sent family members and surrogates to help, while Klobuchar said earlier this week that she’d try to hold tele-town halls. The Senate will hold the trial during the week as well as Saturdays.
Warren also rebuffed criticism from Republicans that her presidential run presents a conflict of interest to her role as a juror in the impeachment trial.“That’s not what a conflict of interest is,” she said. “Maybe they don’t understand the concept. Based on what I’ve seen in this impeachment trial so far, it’s pretty clear that there are some Republicans who are challenged on the concept of conflict of interest.” — Marianne LeVine
1:15 P.M.
Dem senators want classified impeachment evidence released
Senators spent Thursday morning shuffling in and out of the Senate SCIF to review a classified one-page letter that Chief Justice John Roberts admitted into evidence late the night before.
It was a brief, notable shift away from the Senate chamber, where most of the trial action has been so far. Around two dozen senators, mostly Democrats, were spotted filing into the secure room to read the letter — a supplemental filing from Jennifer Williams, an aide to Vice President Mike Pence. Democrats said the letter was improperly classified and should be released publicly before Trump’s trial ends.
The lead House manager Adam Schiff has indicated the letter “corroborates” other testimony in the impeachment inquiry and pertains to Pence’s Sept. 18 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a week after Trump released military aid for the country that he had blocked. Read the full story. — Kyle Cheney and Andrew Desiderio
12:35 P.M.
Democrats message to the press: Pay attention
A pair of Senate Democrats gaggled with reporters just before opening arguments in President Donald Trump’s trial resumed Thursday, urging reporters not to get distracted by the more frivolous aspects of the trial.
“They want to lull you into this view that there’s nothing new here, that it’s boring,” implored Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, standing before a bank of cameras and journalists tightly packed together due to the onerous Senate press restrictions. Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, standing next to Bennet, nodded along in agreement.
“‘Let’s talk about the candy drawer, let’s talk about who’s drinking milk.’ This isn’t about that, this is about whether our democracy is going to survive,” Bennet added. — Heather Caygle
12:21 P.M.
Donuts, hamburgers and hot dogs — oh my!
Senate Republicans will be well-fed on day two of the House’s opening arguments, thanks to North Carolina GOP Sen. Richard Burr.
Burr sent deliveries of Krispy Kreme donuts to GOP offices Thursday morning. The gesture, he said in an interview, was a gift ahead of the daily Republican lunch, which he’s sponsoring.
On the menu for lunch? Hamburgers and hot dogs, Burr said. But French fries? He’s not sure, he replied, before hopping on the underground train that whisks lawmakers from the Senate office buildings to the Capitol.
Burr will also be handing out „fidget spinners“ to his fellow restless senators as they prepare for another marathon phone-free session on the Senate floor.
— Heather Caygle and Sarah Ferris
12:10 P.M.
Romney keeping mum on trial evidence
Sen. Mitt Romney, the Utah Republican who indicated that he wants to hear from witnesses, said Thursday that he would not be making public judgments on the impeachment trial until it wrapped up.
“I’m not going to be commenting on any of the process or the evidence until the process is over,” Romney said in an interview.
Asked what he was looking for from the president’s legal team, Romney said he wouldn’t “give advice to the president’s counsel any more than I would to the prosecution’s counsel.”
Romney is one of a handful of GOP senators who could support Democrats’ call for additional witnesses in the trial, including former national security adviser John Bolton. — Jesse Naranjo
12:03 P.M.
Schumer on the media offensive
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s media blitz continues apace, holding another news conference ahead of the start of Thursday’s impeachment trial proceedings.
The New York Democrat chastised GOP senators for saying that they had heard nothing new from House impeachment managers and reiterated his calls for obtaining new witness testimony and documents.
„The same Republicans saying they heard nothing new just voted nine times on Tuesday to hear nothing new,“ Schumer said. — Marianne LeVine
11:50 A.M.
Chris Murphy ‘pleasantly surprised’ senators paying attention
Much has been made of senators’ not paying attention to the impeachment trial. But Chris Murphy said, in his view, most of them are on their best behavior.
“Twenty percent of Republicans out of the chamber? I don’t feel that. I have been pleasantly surprised by the people that are there and paying close attention. I feel like especially during the video it seems folks are pretty locked in,” Murphy told a group of reporters on Thursday morning. “My suspicion is some of these Republicans haven’t seen these clips before and it’s the first time they’re watching [Gordon] Sondland and [William] Taylor say this.”
Sondland, Trump’s ambassador to the European Union, and Taylor, the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine, both testified publicly last year during the House’s impeachment hearings.
As the day goes on, senators have been standing up more, taking bathroom breaks and ducking into the cloakroom. But the Connecticut Democrat said that’s to be expected.
“You can tell when it gets into hour seven and eight folks get restless and want to stretch their legs,” Murphy said. But “there’s also not a lot of side conversations going.” — Burgess Everett
11:30 A.M.
What to expect today
House Democrats will use their second day of opening arguments to make the constitutional argument for why President Donald Trump should be ousted.
Lead impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) indicated that his team will seek to apply the facts of the case to the constitutional framework for impeachment — including an argument for why Trump’s alleged misconduct meets the threshold for “high crimes and misdemeanors” as outlined in the Constitution.
They will use Thursday to focus specifically on the first article of impeachment against Trump, centering on his alleged abuses of the powers. Schiff and his team are likely to delve into the second article — obstruction of Congress — on Friday. — Andrew Desiderio and Kyle Cheney
9:50 A.M.
Trump’s messaging strategy
Expect the White House to stay on the offensive.
The informal war room, which the West Wing has set up in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, sent out roughly 30 rapid response notes over just five hours Wednesday — from the start of the opening arguments to the dinner break. The talking points went to Capitol Hill offices and surrogates, as the White House tried to make sure Republicans remained unified and on message.
The talking points ranged from statements saying that multiple Ukrainian officials said there was no pressure to investigate Joe Biden in exchange for military aid to bashing Democrats like Rep. Jerry Nadler. They also included quotes highlighting the way the country’s founders viewed impeachment. Of course, there was also references to President Barack Obama, whose legacy Trump has worked hard to reverse.
They offer a window into how the president’s team outside the Senate chamber is attacking the Democrats’ case.
“House Democrats claimed President Trump ‘endangered’ national security by temporarily holding the aid. If that’s the case, Democrats should have been lining up to impeach Obama,” said one Trump rapid response document. — Nancy Cook
9:22 A.M.
Back from Davos, Trump jumps into impeachment brawl
Fresh off a foreign trip to the world’s foremost economic summit, President Donald Trump on Thursday flung himself back into the domestic political fray, assailing Democratic lawmakers online as his Senate impeachment trial entered its third day.
Trump, who arrived in Washington on Wednesday evening after attending the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, marked his return stateside with a series of morning tweets addressing the contentious proceedings on Capitol Hill. Read the full story. — Quint Forgey
Source: politico.com
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