US President Joe Biden’s statement about the ongoing impeachment trial of former US President Donald Trump has added pressure on the US lawmakers who still defend Trump’s involvement in the violent riots at the US Capitol on January 6. Biden stated that the harrowing audio-video shreds of evidence presented at the trial are bound to change “some minds”. 

Most GOP senators, who will be responsible for deciding the political fate of Trump, have till now sided with him in the trial. Only six Republicans crossed party lines at the trial by voting in favour of the trial. A two-thirds majority, a total of 67 votes, is required to impeach Trump. 

The primary defense that is used by Trump’s legal representation revolves around the fact that he has already vacated office, which makes the trial unconstitutional. 

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However, on the second day of the impeachment trial, the prosecutors presented “groundbreaking” evidence in the form of previously unreleased security footage, bodycam videos and audio clips of radio communication used by the police. 

Biden said he “didn’t watch any of the hearing live” while pushing his stimulus package to help the US economy recover from the pandemic. 

But he said he’d seen news coverage of the presentation, which showed the country’s most senior politicians fleeing to safety as crowds stoked by Trump’s rhetoric rampaged through the halls of Congress.

Former Vice President of the US Mike Pence came into the crosshairs of the violent mob that attacked the US Capitol after clarifying his position on the certification of votes.

Top Democratic senator Chuck Schumer is seen narrowly dodging a rampaging throng of pro-Trump rioters. And Senator Mitt Romney, a Republican who often opposed Trump and was turned into a hate figure by the president, is seen being steered away by a police officer just as an angry crowd approaches.

Some Republican senators have expressed disgust with the pro-Trump riot, openly blasted Trump’s refusal to accept defeat to Biden, and acknowledged the compelling case made by the Democrats.

“The evidence that has been presented thus far is pretty damning,” Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said.

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“Of course it’s powerful,” Senator Bill Cassidy said of the chilling footage, but “how that influences final decisions remains to be seen.”

Still, it is highly unlikely Trump will be convicted as it requires a two-thirds majority, meaning 17 Republicans would need to go along with the 50 Democrats.

“I believe at the end there will not be 67 votes to find the president guilty,” Republican strategist Karl Rove told Fox News on Thursday.

But he predicted that “any Republican up for election in 2022 in a tough district or tough state is likely to see this (video) material used against them.”

Unlike Trump’s first impeachment trial a year ago, which took three weeks, this one is expected to be over within days.