US President Joe Biden on Saturday night released a statement following the acquittal of former President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial at the Senate.
Biden noted that “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.”
“Tonight, I am thinking about those who bravely stood guard that January day. I’m thinking about all those who lost their lives, all those whose lives were threatened, and all those who are still today living with terror they lived through that day. And I’m thinking of those who demonstrated the courage to protect the integrity of our democracy – Democrats and Republicans, election officials and judges, elected representatives and poll workers – before and after the election,” added Biden.
“This sad chapter in our history 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. As the United States of America,” the statement concluded.
The Senate earlier acquitted Trump in his second impeachment trial. While the vote was 57-43 in favor of conviction, it was 10 shy of the supermajority needed.
Following the vote, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell criticized Trump and said that he was "practically and morally responsible" for his supporters' deadly attack on the Capitol.
The top Senate Republican explained the unexpected turnabout in his stance by declaring it unconstitutional to convict Trump of misconduct now that the former president has left office and become a private citizen.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi blasted Senate Republicans as cowards.
"What we saw in that Senate today was a cowardly group of Republicans," Pelosi said of the majority of the Senate Republicans who found Trump "not guilty" of incitement of insurrection.