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President Trump demands 'immediate' Senate trial as impeachment proceedings left in disarray

United States President Donald Trump has demanded an “immediate” trial in the Senate after the impeachment process was left in disarray as Democrats refused to send over the charges.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi continued to insist Senate Republicans provide details on witnesses and testimony before she sends over the articles for the president’s trial.

Mitch McConnell, the Senate’s majority leader, later declared the process remained “at an impasse” as confusion over the fate of the US leader continued to spiral on Thursday night.

And Mr Trump, who was on Wednesday became the third president in US history to be impeached in the House of Representatives, hit out at Ms Pelosi’s stance on Twitter.

“The Dem’s case is so bad that they don’t even want to go to trial,” the president wrote as he finish a furious rant on the social media platform.

“So after the Democrats gave me no Due Process in the House, no lawyers, no witnesses, no nothing, they now want to tell the Senate how to run their trial.

“Actually, they have zero proof of anything, they will never even show up. They want out. I want an immediate trial!”

It comes as Congress headed home for the holidays, leaving plans and a possible timeline for Mr Trump's impeachment trial in disarray.

As darkness fell and lawmakers prepared to depart for the year, Mr McConnell asked the Senate floor why the Republicans would give ground to persuade House Democrats "to send us something we do not want."

He and the Democrats' Senate leader, Chuck Schumer, met for about 20 minutes in their first attempt to negotiate the contours of an agreement on running the rare Senate impeachment trial that was expected to start in January.

Mr McConnell favours a swift trial, without the new witnesses Democrats want, and he holds a clear tactical advantage if he can keep his 53-member Senate majority united.

Mr Schumer, who also met privately with Ms Pelosi, has to bet that GOP senators will not hold the line and Republicans will peel away as public pressure mounts for a fuller trial.

Mr McConnell, who has drawn criticism for saying he will not be an impartial juror, said the Democrats were "too afraid" to send the charges to the Senate, where Mr Trump would be expected to be acquitted by the Republican majority.

Pelosi Mr McConnell "says it's OK for the foreman of the jury to be in cahoots with the lawyers of the accused. That doesn't sound right to us."

Dismissing the idea that Democrats would hold off the proceeding indefinitely to prevent Mr Trump from being acquitted, Mr Schumer said there will almost certainly be a trial.

"There's an obligation to have a trial," he said.

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