Trump impeachment: key Republican senator to vote against further witnesses, signalling early end to trial

‘There is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven’ but does not constitute impeachable offence, Senator Alexander said

Democrats hoped former national security adviser John Bolton could have testified that military aid to Ukraine was tied to investigation of Joe Biden

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US President Donald Trump. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:58pm, 31 Jan 2020Updated: 10:06pm, 31 Jan 2020

President Donald Trump’s hopes for a speedy acquittal by the Senate received a boost on Thursday as Democrats suffered a setback in their efforts to introduce new witnesses at his impeachment trial.

Democrats had sought to have Trump’s former national security advisor John Bolton testify but a key Republican senator said he would vote “no” when the question of calling further witnesses is put to the Senate on Friday.

If the witness motion is rejected, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a key Trump ally, could conceivably call for a vote to acquit the president of the impeachment charges as soon as Friday.

A two-thirds majority – or 67 senators – is needed to remove a president from office, and the 53-47 Republican majority in the Senate means Trump is virtually certain to be acquitted.

Democrats were particularly eager to hear from Bolton following reports that he claims in an upcoming book to have been personally told by Trump that military aid to Ukraine was tied to Kiev investigating his Democratic rival Joe Biden.

Republican Senator Lamar Alexander. Photo: AFP