Trump and Mitch McConnell don't have the votes for a quick dismissal of impeachment charges

Mitch McConnell meets the press
(Image credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

President Trump tweeted Sunday that he would prefer the Senate vote to immediately dismiss the two articles of impeachment the House approved against him in December, as several of Trump's GOP allies in the Senate have proposed with the backing of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and summary dismissal of the charges would take only 51 senators, "but it is clear McConnell does not have the votes," The Associated Press reports.

"I think our members, generally, are not interested in the motion to dismiss," said Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), a member of McConnell's leadership team. "They think both sides need to be heard." Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said he's not sure Trump even wants a quick dismissal of the charges. "At different times the president has expressed different views," he told Politico. "But I wouldn't get too distracted by an intervening tweet."

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.