US Senate resumes Trump's Impeachment trial

Former President Donald Trump's impeachment trial resumed on Wednesday as the US Senate proceeds to hear arguments for and against convicting him of instigating last month's violent attack on Congress.

Each side - House managers, who act as prosecutors, and Trump's lawyers - has 16 hours over two days for presentations.

House managers, who are the first to take the floor, plan to use previously unseen security footage to show "extreme violence" of the January 6 assault and make clear how close Trump's loyalists came to lawmakers, the Washington Times said.

They seek to prove that Trump incited violence by stubbornly refusing to accept the election defeat and bar him from holding any public office including running for president in 2024.

Trump's lawyers have urged the Senate to dismiss as unconstitutional and "self-evidently wrong" allegations that their client had a role in the attack on the Capitol by his loyalists who sought to prevent the congressional certification of his loss to Joe Biden.

The Washington Times quoted an unnamed aide to the prosecution who believes it is unlikely that all 16 hours will be consumed. The trial could wrap up as early as the weekend, the article said.

The Senate determined on Tuesday on a 56-to-44 vote that it has jurisdiction to try former the president. A two-thirds majority will be needed for conviction, meng that at least 17 of the 50 Senate Republicans have to break ranks and join their Democratic colleagues. (/Sputnik)

( With inputs from ANI )