Donald Trump ‘irate’ after lawyer’s rambled defence during impeachment

Donald Trump was left fuming over his lawyer’s rambling defence as the US Senate voted to go ahead with the ex-president’s impeachment trial today.

Watching on television from his Mar-a-Lago retreat in Florida, Mr Trump reportedly blasted his lead attorney’s performance as a disaster.

On a scale from one to 10, with 10 being the most irate, Mr Trump “was an eight”, one source told the New York Times.

Mr Trump was said to be particularly incensed by his lead lawyer Bruce Castor’s praise for the Democrats’ opening case against him.

The Senate voted largely along party lines to reject constitutional objections and agree to press on with the trial this afternoon. Just six Republicans crossed the aisle for the 56-44 vote.

With a two-thirds majority needed to convict the embattled former president, 17 Republicans would have to join Democrats in the final vote, which may come as soon as the end of this week.

“The result of this trial is preordained. President Trump will be acquitted,” insisted Republican senator Ted Cruz.

There was a shocked silence in the chamber as House Prosecutors showed a 13-minute video of the January 6 storming of the US Capitol that sent lawmakers scrambling for their lives.

Mr Trump, who last month became the first president ever to have been impeached twice, is accused of whipping up his supporters at a rally held before they marched on to Capitol Hill.