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Freed from impeachment drama, Trump to press ahead with re-election campaign

Published 02/05/2020, 09:18 PM
Updated 02/05/2020, 09:25 PM
Freed from impeachment drama, Trump to press ahead with re-election campaign

Freed from impeachment drama, Trump to press ahead with re-election campaign

By Jeff Mason and Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump emerged confident and ready to press on with his re-election effort on Wednesday after the Democratic-led impeachment drive that he denounced as illegitimate crashed to a halt in the Republican-led Senate.

Trump plans to speak about the issue at the White House on Thursday. A source close to the president described his address as a "vindication speech" that would combine some magnanimity with an "I told you so" tone.

Next, advisers said, Trump would proceed at full steam on his political and policy goals, throwing himself fully into his re-election campaign and efforts to fulfill promises he has made to his supporters and the electorate.

"The president is pleased to put this latest chapter of shameful behavior by the Democrats in the past, and looks forward to continuing his work on behalf of the American people in 2020 and beyond," the White House said in a statement after the verdict.

Trump was acquitted largely along party lines on two articles of impeachment approved by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives that accused him of abusing his power by pressing Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden, a contender for the Democratic nomination to face him in the Nov. 3 election, and obstructing Congress' attempts to investigate the matter.

But he did not come out of the process unscathed.

As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made clear, the impeachment will be part of his legacy, and Republican Senator Mitt Romney's vote to convict him on the abuse-of-power charge deprived the president of the ability to dismiss the process as entirely partisan.

But Republican officials noted record fundraising during the impeachment process, leading Trump's re-election effort to bring in $155 million in the last three months of 2019 alone, boosted by a support base that is both pumped up and ticked off.

'TOTAL VINDICATION'

Although the bruising impeachment battle is certain to be a factor for voters considering whether to re-elect Trump in November, his campaign is claiming victory.

"Acquittal means total vindication," said Tim Murtaugh, the Trump campaign's communications director. "The Democrats' decision to move forward with impeachment will go down as the worst political miscalculation in American history."

In a sign of confidence, minutes after senators found him not guilty, the president tweeted a video of himself with campaign signs projected well into the future, suggesting he wanted to be president for decades to come.

U.S. presidents are constitutionally limited to two elected terms in office. Trump faced accusations of being autocratic and king-like during the Senate impeachment trial.

Trump released another video several hours later that referred to Romney as a "Democrat secret asset" and said the senator tried to "infiltrate" the president's administration when Trump considered him for the position of secretary of state.

As the impeachment drama dragged on over the weeks, Trump gyrated between feeling upbeat and aggrieved. Advisers said he complained that his trade deal with Mexico and Canada did not get the media coverage it deserved because of the focus on impeachment.

With the threat of removal from office behind him, Trump is expected to bask in the glow of a strong economy and hammer Democrats for their efforts to take him down, even as supporters anticipate that Democrats will keep investigating him.

"I think President Trump and all of his allies are keenly aware of the fact that Democrats are going to keep this barrage up all the way through the November election," said Jason Miller, a campaign adviser in 2016.

Trump plans to headline a rally in New Hampshire next week and more frequent rallies are expected in the coming months.

Latest comments

the democrats are doing all of trump's work for him. he has been handed 2020 on a golden platter thanks to the implosion of the vile hate filled left.
Long live king Donald!
The most un-American thing to say Mr. Nyman. The founding fathers didn’t build this country so we could get back to what they escaped from.
I think Trump has very little chance to win. His chance really depends on how much China will buy agricultural. If China buy less, the farmers will riot.
Nomsense ! This dope plan to have another AIRED childish moment ?!
each moment the Media airs this Dope is a disrespectful moment to True Americans
This Nonsense about to start a serious rebellion in America ! Putins smiling
criminal walking.
You must be referring to the shiff hed
Typical Reuters article. Trump's "legacy" will never be confused with Pelosi's failed power grab by way of impeachment. From what I can see, Trump is fully capable of writing his own legacy; it is the Dims who need a Hollywood spin doctor to write theirs. Trump 3, Dims 0.
Thank you so much Mr. President. I honestly don't know how you do it. May God bless you.
Don't use God and prayers in the public domain.
Putin is high fiving his staff right now. His employee gets to stay in power.
Oh and for how he does it? He takes the constitution, rolls it into a ball, places it into the fireplace at the white house and lights a match.
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