Donald Trump accused Democrats of “scamming America” as his impeachment trial came to a close without witnesses testifying against him. Barring unforeseen events, Trump will be acquitted on Wednesday by the US Senate. He said “radical” Democrats had “put on the most unfair witch hunt in the history of the US Congress”.

“They didn’t do their job, had no case. The Dems are scamming America!”

Meanwhile, a poll showed Americans are more “satisfied” with the state of the US than at any time since 2005. The poll showed 41pc were satisfied, up from 26pc when Trump took office. Among Republicans, 72pc were satisfied, a jump of 14pc since December, suggesting impeachment increased his popularity in his own party.

Democrats said the impeachment, only the third in US history, was a “sham” because Republicans prevented witnesses being called.

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Senior Republicans riposted by saying it was “time to turn the page” on the saga.

Closing arguments will be made tomorrow. Senators will make their views known ahead of a vote on Trump’s guilt or innocence on Wednesday afternoon.

Trump faces two articles of impeachment – abuse of power and obstruction of Congress – and a two-thirds majority would be needed to convict him. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate and will vote to acquit.

Trump had wanted his acquittal to take place before he gives his State of the Union address on Tuesday, and held “fervent” talks with the Senate’s Republican leader in an attempt to achieve that. But moderate Republican senators wanted time next week to explain their decision-making process publicly.

Polls showed a majority of Americans thought witnesses should have been called, but only two of the four Republican senators they needed voted with them.

Chuck Schumer, the Democrat leader in the Senate, said: “America will remember this day, a day when the US Senate did not live up to its responsibilities, turned away from truth and instead went along with a sham trial.”

He said there should be a “permanent asterisk next to the acquittal of Trump, written in permanent ink”.

The impeachment case centred on allegations – supported by the witnesses that were not called by the Senate – that Trump tried to pressure the president of Ukraine to open a corruption investigation into Joe Biden, his domestic political rival.

Trump consistently denied doing anything wrong.

©Telegraph

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