President Donald Trump privately wishes for a TV spectacle in his impeachment trial, but his Republican allies in the Senate don't want to give him that.
The president believes a splashy trial will vindicate him and embarrass Democrats, according to six sources familiar with his thinking, and outside allies are urging him to push for testimony from Hunter Biden, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and the anonymous whistleblower, reported Politico.
“We don’t want a quick technical acquittal but complete exoneration,” said one outside adviser who speaks to Trump.
Trump will spend the next two weeks at his Mar-A-Lago holiday break talking with supporters and friends who want an expansive Senate trial, which worries GOP senators who prefer a quick and low-key process.
“There’s a family feud under the water between what Trump and McConnell think is the best strategy,” said oil drilling CEO Dan Eberhart, a major GOP donor.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is holding up the articles of impeachment until Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) agrees to hold a fair trial -- which has enraged the president.
Trump refused to participate in the Democratic-led House impeachment proceedings, but he's eager to take part in the GOP-led Senate trial in the belief that testimony will show the Bidens are corrupt and the impeachment inquiry was rigged against him, according to those who've spoken with him.
The president is particularly obsessed with the whistleblower whose complaint launched the process, and many of his allies agree.
“For many Trump allies, the whistleblower is really priority one, two and three,” said 2016 campaign adviser Jason Miller.
Trump and his allies also believe a prolonged Senate trial will give Republicans a boost in next year's election, but McConnell has made clear he wants a quick trial that will end with the president's acquittal.
“The president's not going to be removed from office,” McConnell told The Brian Kilmeade Show. “The only issue is how long do we want to take to get the final decision. I think that we've heard enough. We're going to listen to arguments, but my view is it's time to vote and move on.”
Republican senators are saying the president seems to understand headline-grabbing witness testimony could carry political risk for him, but Trump allies believe that will ultimately frustrate him.
“The president always wants to be heard,” said longtime associate Michael Caputo, a 2016 campaign adviser “One of the most frustrating things about Washington for him is … they want him to pipe down.”
