President Trump’s impeachment trial could end in acquittal as soon as Friday evening, following the announcement from a crucial Republican senator that he would not be supporting witnesses.
Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said late Thursday that he will not join Democrats in their push to subpoena witnesses. The news dashed House managers’ hopes of beginning a new phase of the trial, potentially airing testimony from witnesses who could have proved politically damaging to Trump.
The looming acquittal for the president was long anticipated, but it still marks a striking setback for Democrats, who at times appeared hopeful that they would be able to persuade enough Republicans to join them in voting to call witnesses, thereby prolonging the trial if not the altering its outcome.