Donald Trump offered an all caps rallying cry as his impeachment trial in the Senate commenced with a debate over rules on Tuesday, urging his Twitter followers to “read the transcripts!”
(We have!)
The president sent the tweet as he made his way back to residence for the night in Davos, Switzerland, where he is attending the World Economic Forum. The three word message marked Trump’s first commentary since the trial began Tuesday.
The tweet came as House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff offered a 45-minute statement imploring the Senate to admit additional witnesses and evidence.
READ THE TRANSCRIPTS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2020 [1]
Trump is in Switzerland attending the World Economic Forum and meeting with political and business leaders. He is set to return to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.
The president and his defenders have repeatedly pointed to two rough transcripts of his calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which they assert shows Trump did not engage in impeachable conduct.
One transcript shows the two leaders exchanging pleasantries after Zelensky’s election last year. The other, which triggered a formal impeachment inquiry, shows Trump urging Zelensky to investigate Democrats and former Vice President Joe Biden.
Trump was immediately called out:
We did, which is why you're the third President of the United States to have been impeached. https://t.co/AGcn51yUOF [2]
— Jonathan Capehart (@CapehartJ) January 21, 2020 [3]
President Having A Normal One has logged on https://t.co/7C7IBzZPeA [4]
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 21, 2020 [5]
Provide actual transcripts. We'll read 'em.
If you're talking about those memos, we read them.
That's why you're being impeached. https://t.co/vtWFxBM8tN [6]
— Stonekettle (@Stonekettle) January 21, 2020 [7]
The Transcript:
Zelensky: We are almost ready to buy more Javelins from the United States for defense purposes.
Trump: I would like you to do us a favor though.
He then names Atty Gen Barr as the one who will follow up on Zelensky holding a fake press conference about Biden https://t.co/AfpjjkBsvp [8]
— Bree Newsome Bass (@BreeNewsome) January 21, 2020 [9]
We did.
That's why you're IMPEACHED, you moron. https://t.co/fLC4a7OJBM [10]
— Impeachments* Are FOREVER (@OK_Dumbass) January 21, 2020 [11]