Donald Trump impeachment trial: Final arguments begins, no witnesses to be called

The US Senate on Saturday, began hearing the final arguments in the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump. However, top Republican senator Mitch McConnell said he would vote to acquit the former president of inciting the deadly January 6 assault on the Capitol.

Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's decision would result in Trump being acquitted by the Senate of the charge of inciting an insurrection by his supporters.

What happened during the proceedings?

The proceedings were interrupted for a few hours after House prosecutors wanted to call witnesses at the trial.

House impeachment manager Jamie Raskin said he wanted to call a Republican lawmaker as a witness.

Eventually he agreed with Trump's defense lawyers just to have her testimony entered into evidence.

Trump's lawyers threatened to call witnesses of their own, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives.

The Senate voted 55-45 to allow witnesses.

Senators, House prosecutors, defense lawyers hammered out an agreement allowing the trial to proceed to closing arguments.

The four hours of final arguments will be split equally between both sides with the House prosecutors going first.

A vote on whether to acquit or convict the 74-year-old former president is expected later Saturday afternoon.

Raskin wanted Representative Jamie Herrera Beutler to testify after she released a statement about the events of January 6.

Republican Herrera Beutler was one of 10 Republican lawmakers who voted to impeach Trump in the House of Representatives.

Capitol Hill incident

On January 6 Donald Trump staged a fiery rally near the White House, calling on the crowd to march on Congress.

The mob then stormed the Capitol, disrupting the certification.

Five people, including a police officer and a woman died in the mayhem.

(With Agency Inputs)