Defiant Trump rallies supporters as House impeaches him

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — Defiant in the face of a historic rebuke, President Donald Trump rallied supporters in Michigan on Wednesday night as the House voted to impeach him, declaring, “It doesn’t really feel like we’re being impeached.”

Trump took the stage just minutes before he became the third president in U.S. history to be impeached by the House of Representatives.

In a dramatic and discordant split-screen, Trump emerged from a mock fireplace at the Christmasthemed rally as the debate in Washington was underway. He took time to praise “the miracle of Christmas, the greatness of America and the glory of God,” even as he slammed Democrats, accusing the “radical left in Congress” of being “consumed with envy and hate and rage.”

Aides had said Trump would wait to see the House vote before coming out to address the rally, but he appeared onstage early and promised “the best speech you’ve ever heard” in a swing state that narrowly voted for him in 2016.

While Trump and his aides have tried to brush off the significance of the vote — noting there is little chance he will be convicted by the Republican-controlled Senate and removed from office — allies nonetheless acknowledged that Trump has been angry over the stain that impeachment will leave on his legacy.

Throughout the day, Trump stared down the impending vote as he has every obstacle in his presidency: by broadcasting his grievances via tweet.

While the White House insisted Trump would be busy working rather than focused on the proceedings in the House, he spent much of his day tweeting and retweeting, expressing fury and disbelief.

“Can you believe that I will be impeached today by the Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats, AND I DID NOTHING WRONG!” Trump wrote in one of 45 tweets posted before noon. He asked his followers to “Say a PRAYER!”

As members of the House debated the articles of impeachment, Trump’s urgency appeared to escalate as he switched to all capital letters: “SUCH ATROCIOUS LIES BY THE RADICAL LEFT, DO NOTHING DEMOCRATS.”