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After getting impeached by the House for incitement of an insurrection, former President Donald Trump was ultimately acquitted by the Senate over the weekend. Following the Senate’s verdict, Trump was seen hitting the golf course for Valentine’s Day.
Hours after receiving an acquittal from his second Senate impeachment trial, the former president was seen at the Trump International Golf Club at West Palm Beach in Florida. Trump was acquitted by the Senate in a 57-43 vote, with the votes to convict short by 10 even as seven Republican Senators joined their Democratic counterparts. Trump is the first president in the country’s history to be impeached twice, but compared to his first impeachment trial, Trump remains largely silent as he no longer has his Twitter account and is out of office. Prior to leaving office on January 20, Trump was impeached by the House for incitement of insurrection from the Capitol riots last January 6.
Trump was also not mentioned in his wife’s Valentine’s Day message on social media. Former first lady Melania Trump wished a Happy Valentine’s Day to her followers while recalling her time visiting children at a hospital - a tradition she has kept up with during her years as first lady. Even with Trump permanently off Twitter and on major social media platforms, his trial and acquittal have caused an evident rift within the Republican Party.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell even hinted that he would not support primary candidates who have Trump’s backing in 2022. McConnell issued a blunt rebuke of the former president shortly after his vote to acquit, saying that Trump remains responsible for the insurrection on January 6 and that the former president has not gotten away completely. Over the weekend, the top Republican in Washington said to Politico that he is now focused on the political party’s future with or without support from Trump.
McConnell’s remarks angered House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many other Democrats who pushed for conviction. Even as Trump has acquittal from the Senate, the former president still faces criminal investigations in two jurisdictions surrounding matters that are related to his impeachment, and recently, a third criminal investigation may be in the works. The Washington DC District Attorney’s office is now considering whether the now-former president broke district law for his involvement in the riots.
