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In front of the closely guarded Capitol in Washington, a protester calls for Donald Trump's impeachment
Photo: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP
It was to be expected that the final days of Donald Trump's tenure would be tumultuous.
But this crescendo of insanity could not be imagined by many Americans in their wildest dreams.
While the House of Representatives could start a second impeachment proceedings against the president this week, the capital Washington is preparing for possible new unrest.
Meter-high fences were erected around the Capitol, soldiers and police officers in riot gear patrol the city.
With the large number of security forces, the government district is to be protected until the official inauguration of the new President Joe Biden on January 20th.
Trump himself is trying to return to "business as usual," as if his supporters' attack on the Capitol never happened.
It took some effort to convince the president to issue an order that flags on official buildings should be raised to half-mast to honor two police officers who had died after the riot.
But that was it for Trump also in terms of grief and sympathy.
The current president would like to travel to the border with Mexico in the next few days to celebrate the completion of 400 miles (approx. 644 km) of his border fence.
He also wants to award more medals of honor to friends.
In Trump's family, people are also maximally ignorant.
Trump's daughter Ivanka posted a photo of her husband Jared on Instagram, who was happily celebrating his birthday.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is more likely to launch a second impeachment trial against Trump.
The Democrats in Congress around Nancy Pelosi would like to persuade Trump's Vice President Mike Pence to remove Trump from office.
Under the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, the Vice President and other cabinet members would have the right to do this under special conditions.
But Pence has shown little interest in this approach so far, which is why the Democrats should now take action themselves.
What is the Senate doing?
According to the current plans of Pelosi and Co., Pence could be urged by them to act by resolution.
If he was still inactive within 24 hours, the Democrats could initiate impeachment proceedings in Congress.
The Democrats accuse the president of violating his oath of office by cheering his supporters on Wednesday to "fight" against the election of Joe Biden.
As is well known, the Democrats hold a majority in the House of Representatives, which is why it is considered certain that this part of the impeachment process would be carried out quickly.
It is unclear what happens afterwards.
Actually, the Senate should then organize a trial against Trump and vote on his possible removal from office.
But this is exactly where things get complicated.
There are conflicting interests - not just with Trump's Republicans, but also with the Democrats.
Some Democratic strategists fear that the fuss over the impeachment process threatens to overshadow the start of the new administration of future President Joe Biden.
Biden's goal of looking ahead, uniting the country and concluding the Trump era as quickly as possible is in danger.
One of the future president's key confidants in Congress, MP James Clyburn, hinted that the House of Representatives could wait 100 days before referring the official Trump indictment to the Senate for a final decision.
This would allow the new President Biden to get his political agenda off the ground first, Clyburn made clear.
Major Republicans are already stepping on the brakes.
The Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConell, announced that, from his point of view, the Senate could not deal with a possible impeachment until January 19 at the earliest.
So one day before Joe Biden's inauguration.
McConnell is unlikely to be in the mood for the whole impeachment procedure, as it could further fuel the emerging dispute over the direction of the Republican Party.
It can already be seen that the party will increasingly split into a pro and an anti-Trump camp in the coming years.
A vote on Trump in the Senate would certainly further accelerate the break in the "Grand Old Party".
Never again president?
There is one potential benefit to impeachment that could make it palatable to many Republicans as well.
Should the Senate condemn Trump - for example after his official departure from office on January 20 - the panel could decide in a further step that the ex-president may never again hold an official office.
This would rule out another Trump presidential candidacy in 2024.
In the party, the way would be free for new, younger leaders.
Coincidentally, quite a few of these potential climbers are also in the Senate.
They are people like Marco Rubio the Senator from Florida, for example.
Or Tom Cotton, MP from Arkansas.
You could give the Democrats and other Trump opponents in your own party the necessary two-thirds majority in the vote on Trump's conviction - for example, by simply staying at home.
According to the current count, the Democrats would need 17 helpers from the Republican camp to achieve a two-thirds majority.
A comeback of the old would then be out of the question.
No wonder that Donald Trump is also following this development very closely.
For him, a second impeachment procedure with a subsequent ban from office would be the maximum humiliation.
He always regarded the first impeachment procedure as a kind of lese majesty.
And: Trump has so far always reserved a second candidacy in 2024.
Flirting with the possibility of running is an elegant way for him to keep talking, to collect money - and to exert influence within one's own party.
If the Senate were to rule this out forever, Trump's political importance could rapidly decline as a result.
Internally, Trump is said to be looking for a team of lawyers to ward off impeachment.
Lawyers from his circle are already raising all sorts of legal concerns.
There is constitutional lawyer Alan Dershowitz, who defended Trump in the first impeachment in the Ukraine affair.
Dershowitz made it clear at the weekend what he thinks of an impeachment of the president: nothing.
There is no basis for an indictment against Trump, said the attorney on Fox News.
Although he condemned Trump's statements on the day of the protests, they were covered by freedom of expression.
At the same time, Dershowitz referred to procedural problems.
In his view, a former president cannot be condemned by the Senate after leaving office.
The Senate's jurisdiction only applies to an active president, said Dershowitz.
This closed the case on January 20th, the day Biden took office.
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