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Although Trump was acquitted, charges against him are indisputable — Biden

Earlier on Saturday, US Senate voted 57-43 to impeach Trump

US President Joe Biden Alex Brandon/AP

US President Joe Biden

© Alex Brandon/AP

WASHINGTON, February 14. /TASS/. Although the Senate acquitted former president Donald Trump during the indictment trial, the substance of charges against him is not in dispute, US President Joe Biden said.

"While the final vote did not lead to a conviction, the substance of the charge is not in dispute. Even those opposed to the conviction, like Senate Minority Leader McConnell, believe Donald Trump was guilty of a ‘disgraceful dereliction of duty’ and ‘practically and morally responsible for provoking’ the violence unleashed on the Capitol," the US leader said in a statement, released by the White House.

"This sad chapter in our history [the Capitol riot] has reminded us that democracy is fragile. That it must always be defended. That we must be ever vigilant. That violence and extremism has no place in America. And that each of us has a duty and responsibility as Americans, and especially as leaders, to defend the truth and to defeat the lies," he continued.

"That is how we end this uncivil war and heal the very soul of our nation. That is the task ahead. And it’s a task we must undertake together," Biden said.

Earlier on Saturday, US Senate voted 57-43 to impeach Trump. However, Trump was acquitted, because no less than 67 votes were required to convict him.

The US House of Representatives controlled by Democrats approved on January 13 a text of resolution on impeaching Trump, charging him with "incitement of insurrection." The resolution said Trump had "demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national security, democracy, and the Constitution if allowed to remain office." Democrats initiated Trump's first impeachment trial in 2019 but that attempt failed.

The new impeachment drive was initiated over Trump’s remarks on January 6 when his supporters stormed the Capitol Building in Washington DC to stop lawmakers from officially certifying the results of the November presidential election. This was a last-ditch attempt to prevent Democrat Joe Biden from becoming the new president.

The situation was unprecedented since for the first time in the country’s history a president (who has already left the post) was subject to the impeachment procedure twice.

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