Donald Trump's impeachment trial will begin in the second week of February in the Senate, after the former president's indictment was transmitted to the upper house early next week, Democratic leaders said on Friday (January 22). in Congress.
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This two-week delay between the delivery of the indictment and the start of the proceedings will ensure that the trial does not monopolize the sessions in the upper house for the start of Joe Biden's term.
The Senate will thus be able in particular to confirm the members of its government.
"
Once the files are drafted, the presentation by the parties will begin the week of February 8,
" said Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader of the Senate, where Donald Trump is to be tried for "
incitement to insurgency
"
Friday evening
.
Concretely, elected House Democrats led by Jamie Raskin will cross the corridors of Congress on Monday to bring the indictment into the chamber of the Senate, where they will read it to senators.
This step marks the formal opening of the trial, but the debates on the merits will therefore not begin until two weeks later.
During the assault on the Capitol on January 6 in Washington.
LEAH MILLIS / REUTERS
Donald Trump is accused of having encouraged his supporters to launch an assault on Capitol Hill on January 6, when the elected representatives of Congress certified the victory of his Democratic rival in the presidential election.
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“
You will never take back our country by being weak.
You must show strength and you must be strong,
”he told his supporters shortly before they invaded the Capitol, sowing chaos and violence.
Five people died during this attack.
A week later, Donald Trump became the first president in U.S. history to be impeached twice by the Democrat-controlled House.
If Donald Trump were found guilty, he would not be impeached since he has already left the White House, but he would become ineligible, while he has toyed with the idea of a new presidential candidacy in 2024.