The US Senate’s acquittal of former president Donald Trump on charges of inciting a violent insurrection was not surprising but nevertheless represents a failure of American democracy.
Although the Senate voted 57 to 43 to convict Trump, this fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to find him guilty. While all 50 Democratic senators voted to convict, only seven Republicans did so – an appalling example of Republican Party cowardice and of putting party before country and principle.
The acquittal sets a dangerous precedent for future US presidents who could feel they are above the law and would not be held accountable for their actions. It is also a very bad example for the rest of the world, which is often lectured by the US to practise democratic principles and hold their leaders to account.
This impeachment trial – the former president’s second – was the perfect opportunity for the Republican Party to finally rid itself of Trump’s poisoned legacy. During his four years in the Oval Office, Trump divided American society, undermined the rule of law, attacked the media and empowered white supremacist as well as other far-right groups.
Trump’s most disgraceful behaviour, however, was when he falsely claimed the November presidential election was “stolen” from him and refused to admit defeat. On January 6, when Congress met to ratify Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory, Trump urged his followers to march to the Capitol in Washington DC and “fight like hell”, otherwise, they “won’t have a country anymore”.
They did just that, with fatal consequences. Five people died, including a police officer beaten to death by the violent rioters, while legislators and staff fled for their lives as the mob of Trump supporters smashed their way into the Capitol and the world looked on in horror as the symbol of US democracy came under attack.
Trump only acknowledged that a transfer of power would take place the day after the riots, two months after the election. Even then, he continued to insist, and still does, that the election was rigged, although 60 lawsuits challenging the result were thrown out by the courts.
Sadly, the few Republican senators voting to convict Trump suggests he is likely to remain a strong influence within Republican politics for the foreseeable future and could well consider a run for the presidency in 2024. This is bad news for American democracy.
The assault on the Capitol and Trump’s refusal to accept his electoral defeat will turn many moderate voters away from a Republican Party dominated by the former president. And President Biden, who is riding high in the polls, now has a great opportunity, through the Democrats’ control of Congress, to improve people’s lives with a better alternative to Trump’s politics.
Nevertheless, it is very unhealthy for any country, let alone the leader of the free world, to have a major opposition party dominated by a cult-like figure who has very little respect for democracy and the rule of law.
It is not too late, however, for the Republican Party to dissociate itself from the former president. The Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, who voted to acquit Trump – supposedly because he left office before the Senate trial began – said within minutes of the vote that Trump’s actions ahead of the riot represented “a disgraceful dereliction of duty”.
“There is no question, none, that Mr Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day,” McConnell said. These are strong words and could be the catalyst for a Republican break with Trump.
But for this to happen, Republican politicians need to stand up and be counted, something most of them have not done over the past four years.