President Donald Trump made his first address following his acquittal by the U.S. Senate on two charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Trump exulted in his impeachment acquittal, taking a scorched earth victory lap. First, at the national prayer breakfast, he shattered the usual veneer of bipartisanship, unleashing his fury against those who tried to remove him from office. Then at the White House, he spoke of vindication and looked ahead to his reelection campaign.
At both events, Trump triumphantly held up copies of two newspapers with banner "ACQUITTED!" headlines.
He said his impeachment by the House was “evil, it was corrupt.” He portrayed himself as a victim, not a president accused of corruption, and said it must never happen to another president.
The president tweeted that he'll speak about "our Country's VICTORY on the Impeachment Hoax!"
Acquittal in the Republican-controlled Senate on Wednesday came more than four months after a whistleblower's complaint set in motion a process that imperiled Trump's presidency and ultimately left him emboldened.
Now that the trial has ended, the president is barreling into his reelection fight with a united Republican Party behind him.
Read More: Senate Acquits Trump: Bennet Votes ‘Guilty,’ Gardner ‘Not Guilty’ On Both Impeachment Articles
