Impeachment: Trump lucky for 2nd time?

The Democrats who have impeached Trump need two-thirds of the vote for the Senate impeachment

Former US President Donald Trump is likely to be acquitted in his impeachment trial as the Democrats failed to garner enough support required from Republican Senators.

The Democrats who have impeached Trump in the House charging him with "incitement of insurrection," needs two-thirds of the vote for the Senate impeachment. Currently both the Democrats and the Republicans have 50 members each in the 100seat Senate.

The Democrats need the support of at least 17 Republican Senators to reach the two-thirds majority mark.

Trump is the first US president who is facing an impeachment trial after he left the presidency.

This is for the second time in about a year that Trump is likely to be acquitted by the Senate.

"I can't see how you get 17. I think that was a test vote," Republican Senator John Boozman said after 45 of the 50 Republican Senators voted for the motion that the impeachment trial of Trump after he left the presidency is unconstitutional.

The article of impeachment was delivered by the

House to the Senate Monday night.

"The next step, as you all have reported and people watching at home know, is for the Senate to proceed with their trial. He's going to allow them to move forward at the pace and manner that the leaders in the Senate determine. And I can promise you that we will leave the vote counting to leaders in the Senate from now on," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at her daily news conference.

Republican Senator Kevin Cramer said the Senate should not be wasting its time holding another impeachment trial.

"We do not have solid constitutional standing to impeach a former president, and even if we did, this is not the time to use it. As I have said repeatedly, President Trump's comments on January 6 were rash and ill-advised but I do not believe they meet the constitutional standard for impeachment," he said.