Witnesses blocked ahead of Trump impeachment vote

A final vote on whether to remove Donald Trump from office has been scheduled for Wednesday, after the US senate voted to block witnesses from testifying in the impeachment trial.

In a blow to Democrats, senators voted by 51 to 49 to block testimony from witnesses on Friday, after only two Republicans broke with their party and crossed the aisle. Mr Trump's opponents had been hoping that new revelations related to former national security adviser John Bolton last week would sway more senators to regard Mr Trump as unfit for office but ultimately only Utah's Mitt Romney and Susan Collins of Maine sided with Democrats to call for witnesses.

Following the vote and a series of subsequent amendments late on Friday, the Senate broke for the weekend, with senators endorsing majority leader Mitch McConnell's proposed schedule for the coming days. The 100-member body will reconvene at 11am on Monday to hear closing arguments in Mr Trump's impeachment trial from both sides. Further speeches are scheduled on Tuesday with a vote on whether to remove Mr Trump from office due on Wednesday afternoon.

State of the union

The denouement of the impeachment trial coincides with this week's state of the union address by the president. Mr Trump is due to deliver his annual speech outlining policy priorities to both Houses of Congress on Tuesday night – the eve of the final vote.

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Mr Trump became the third president in US history to be impeached in December. The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives charged the president with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over his dealings with Ukraine, arguing that he pressurised the Ukrainian government to open an investigation into his political rival, Joe Biden, in exchange for military aid.

But the Republican president is widely expected to be acquitted this week, given his party’s control of the chamber. A two-thirds majority is needed in the Senate to remove Mr Trump from office.

It is also possible that a small number of Democrats – particularly those facing re-election in Trump-friendly states – could vote against the impeachment articles on Wednesday.

Despite the strong wall of support from Republicans for Mr Trump, several prominent members suggested that Mr Trump’s behaviour over Ukraine was unacceptable though not impeachable.

Country evenly split

Republican senator Lamar Alexander, who had been seen as a possible swing vote who could side with Democrats, said on Sunday that Mr Trump's actions were "wrong" and "inappropriate". Nonetheless, he confirmed he would vote against impeachment.

Similarly, Alan Derschowitz – a key member of Mr Trump's defence team – told Fox News on Sunday that linking military aid to Ukraine to investigations of his rivals would be "troubling if it were proved". But he added that "troubling is not the criteria for impeachment".

A new NBC-Wall Street Journal poll published on Sunday showed that the country remained split on impeachment. Some 46 per cent support the president’s removal, while 49 per cent are opposed.