(Headline USA) The Senate on Saturday acquitted Donald Trump of inciting the the riot at the US Capitol.
The vote was 57-43, short of the two-thirds needed for conviction. Seven Republicans broke from their party to find Trump guilty.
Sens. Richard Burr and Bill Cassidy voted to convict Trump, along with five more who were expected to vote against the former president: Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
Many senators kept their trial votes closely held until the final moments.
Trump responded to the acquittal in a statement, Fox News reported.
“This has been yet another phase of the greatest witch hunt in the history of our country,” he said. “No president has ever gone through anything like it, and it continues because our opponents cannot forget the almost 75 million people, the highest number ever for a sitting president, who voted for us just a few short months ago.”
Trump told his supporters that he will return to the public stage with a “vision for a bright, radiant, and limitless American future.”
Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press.
