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Donald Trump has refused to appear before Congress and testify for his impeachment.
It comes after Democratic representatives acting as impeachment managers asked him to testify and explain why he challenged key allegations.
In an interview with Trump’s attorney from NBC News, Bruce Castor said “no” when asked if the former president would appear, adding: “It’s a publicity stunt to make up for the weakness of the House trustees’ case.”
The 45th president of the United States earlier this week rejected the accusation of “incitement to insurrection” brought to him by the January 6 riots in Washington DC.
Was accused following the violence in the United States Capitol that saw five people die.
Last month, the House of Representatives indicted Trump before he left office, and the case is headed for trial in the Senate.
Trump was indicted after he told a crowd to “fight” for his electoral defeat, before the crowd headed to the Capitol.
in a rejection of the accusation presented by his lawyers, Trump’s defense stated that he “fulfilled his duties as president fully and faithfully.”
He went on to say that Trump’s unsubstantiated claims that he won the election were protected by free speech and the First Amendment to the United States constitution.
In response to this, Jamie Raskin, a Democrat in the House of Representatives and the House’s top impeachment manager, requested Trump’s testimony.
Five people died in the January 6 riots
He said: “In light of your challenge to these factual allegations, I am writing to invite you to testify under oath, either before or during the Senate impeachment trial, about your conduct on January 6, 2021.”
He called for this to happen between February 8-11.
Mr. Raskin added: “If you decline this invitation, we reserve any and all rights, including the right to establish at trial that your refusal to testify supports a strong adverse inference regarding your actions (and inaction) on the 6th. January 2021 “.
In their written communication, Trump’s lawyers argued: “It is denied that the phrase ‘if you don’t fight like hell, you won’t have one more country,’ has anything to do with the action on Capitol Hill as it was. Clearly about the the need to fight for electoral security in general, as evidenced by the recording of the speech ”.
Trump is the first president in history to be indicted twice.
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Donald Trump’s presidency in 6 minutes
With a two-thirds majority of the Senate needed to convict him, 17 Republican members of the upper house would have to vote with Democrats against the previous commander-in-chief.
A simple majority of 51 would then be needed to prevent Trump from being able to return to office.
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