What the future holds
What's next for Donald Trump, the Republican Party and Joe Biden after the former president’s acquittal in Senate impeachment trial?
With the trial over, the Senate will now be in a position to swiftly confirm Biden's cabinet and work on his legislative agenda. Biden has done a very good job of separating himself from the impeachment trial proceedings, but Trump remains a force to be reckoned with. In the coming days, Biden may face more protests, demonstrations and activism from the far-right
Donald Trump
The acquittal could be a rallying cry for Trump and his supporters. Trump, who said after the Senate verdict that the movement to Make America Great Again “has only just begun”, had flirted with the idea of running for the White House again in 2024. Despite the acquittal, his legacy may be that of the Capitol siege of January 6, and that could carry over to his private sector activities, with possible boycotts and social media backlash, experts said. This may mean he has no choice but to continue to be in politics, they pointed out
Republican Party
Most of GOP senators voted to acquit Trump, in a clear signal of the grip he retains on the party. "The party is his. It doesn't belong to anyone else," Georgia Representative and Trump loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene said last week. But several Republicans, including Indian-origin former UN envoy Nikki Haley, have distanced themselves from Trump and are lining up to take their own shot at the White House in 2024. Haley also dismissed speculation Trump will seek the presidency in 2024. "I don't think he can. He's fallen so far," she said. But Republicans advocating a complete break with Trump are in the minority and most remain fearful of the power he holds over his base. GOP senators who voted to acquit him may be protecting themselves against primary challenges from the more extreme wing of their party in 2022, or even 2024, observers said. A group of anti-Trump former Republican officials has raised the idea of creating a centre-right third party, without much traction.