Donald Trump impeachment trial: Mitt Romney says he will vote to remove president from office

Ellena Cruse5 February 2020
WEST END FINAL

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Mitt Romney has said he will vote to remove Donald Trump from office as the president's impeachment trial draws to a close.

He is the only Republican senator to say he will convict Mr Trump of abuse of office ahead of a vote on two articles of impeachments.

But his vote is not expected to affect the outcome of the trial, with the president set to be cleared on Wednesday.

The first vote is on whether Mr Trump abused power by putting pressure on Ukraine and holding back millions of dollars of military aid.

The second is about whether he obstructed Congress refused to allow staff to testify at earlier impeachment hearings.

Mitt Romney said he would vote to convict the president
Getty Images / AFP

“I believe that attempting to corrupt an election to maintain power is about as egregious an assault on the Constitution as can be made,” Romney told the New York Times.

“And for that reason, it is a high crime and misdemeanour, and I have no choice under the oath that I took but to express that conclusion.”

Senators gather for the impeachment trial of Donald Trump
AP

Romney has at times been out of step with his party during Mr Trump's impeachment trial.

He sided with Democrats in calling for more witness testimony, a move Republicans blocked.

 This is the third time in history a president
AFP via Getty Images

Mr Trump needs a two-thirds majority of 67 votes to be ousted from his position.

However as there are 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats in the Senate, the president is expected to be cleared.

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