Former US President Donald Trump has been acquitted of incitement of insurrection. This was his second impeachment trial, lasting five days.

In the most unromantic news to arrive straight on Valentine’s Day, the US Senate has voted 57-43 guilty on the charge of incitement of insurrection.  As NBC News reported,  two-thirds majority or 67 or more guilty votes was required to convict the former President, with the incitement of insurrection charges laid in the wake of the Capitol Hill siege on January 6.

He may be acquitted, but with seven Republicans voting against a man in their own party, this represents the largest number of senators to ever find a president of their own party guilty of an impeachment charge. That’s progress, surely?

Trump welcomed the decision, stating that “the patriotic and beautiful movement to Make America Great Again has only just begun…soon we will emerge with a vision for a bright, radiant and limitless American future.”

He also labelled the trial a “witch hunt.”

Now that Trump is out of the White House, arguably there is not much he could do as a lay citizen, given that his Twitter access and other social media handles have been revoked. However, his conviction would have closed to the door to a potential return in 2024, even though he would be running at the ripe old age of 78.

His conviction also would have held him responsible for the siege on January 6 that left five people, including a police officer, dead. Even Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell  – who voted not guilty – pointed to the practical and moral responsibility for the provoking the riot.

“The people who stormed this building believed they were acting on the wishes and instructions of their president,” he said.

For perspective, Trump is the third US President to be impeached, the first to be impeached twice, and the first to face a trial after leaving office.

As it remains, the US Senate has never convicted an impeached president, so there’s one less record Trump holds.

Check out Trump and Biden in a weird moment of unity:

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