McConnell will vote to acquit Trump in second impeachment trial
The decision all but ensures that Trump will avoid becoming the first president in American history to be convicted in an impeachment trial.
The typically tight-lipped Senate Republican leader rarely broke from Trump in his four years as president. But he led the Senate’s certification of the presidential election that the rioters pledged to overturn, and strongly condemned the violence at the Capitol he has served in as a senator for 36 years.
In a 50-50 Senate, the House impeachment managers — all of whom are Democrats — need to persuade 17 Republican senators to join every member of their party to convict Trump. But only five or six have indicated they would be open to doing so.
This story has been updated with additional developments Saturday.
