Chicago (EJ) Trump slammed his impeachment as a hoax that distracted attention from two of the biggest trade deals in the history of the country that were reached this week. He signed a deal with China on Wednesday and the Senate gave final approval Thursday to a trade deal with Canada and Mexico.
A two-thirds majority of the Senate would be required to convict and remove Trump, which is unlikely in the chamber where Republicans outnumber Democrats 53 to 47.
The articles accuse Trump of pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Biden while withholding a valuable White House meeting and $391 million in military aid.
Trump and his Republican defenders said he has the authority to conduct foreign policy and sought was justified in seeking to fight corruption in Ukraine. Republicans noted that Zelensky never announced an investigation, but Trump met with him and released the aid anyway.
“They have a hoax going on over there. Let’s take care of it," Trump told congressional Republicans who attended a White House ceremony Wednesday announcing a China trade agreement.
IMPEACHMENT TRIAL
Read the trial memo from House managers and the response from President Trump’s legal team.