House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiOn The Money: Federal judge rejects effort to block eviction moratorium | Moderates revolt on infrastructure in new challenge for Pelosi | Consumer confidence plunges in August Moderates revolt on infrastructure in new challenge for Pelosi OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Republicans seek full tape behind Exxon sting | July was Earth's hottest month on record | Moderates vow to block budget to secure infrastructure funding MORE (D-Calif.) said in a recent interview that President Trump
Donald Trump Las Vegas hotel that defied coronavirus restrictions loses legal battle Menendez, Rubio ask Yellen to probe meatpacker JBS Vietnam shadow hangs over Biden decision on Afghanistan MORE has been “impeached for life” regardless of how Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellMcConnell calls for US airstrikes to stop Taliban advance Vietnam shadow hangs over Biden decision on Afghanistan The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - US deals with Afghanistan withdrawal fallout MORE (R-Ky.) handles the upcoming Senate trial.
“This president is impeached for life regardless of any gamesmanship on the part of Mitch McConnell,” she said during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, adding, “There is nothing the Senate can do to ever erase that.”
Her comment prompted “#ImpeachedForLife” to trend on Twitter shortly afterward.
Pelosi’s remarks come as she continues to delay sending articles of impeachment brought against Trump, which charge him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, to the Senate since the Democratic-led voted to impeach him weeks ago.
Pelosi has said the move to withhold the articles, which has prompted backlash from McConnell and Trump over the past few weeks, was made in an effort to put pressure on the Senate, where Republicans hold control, to ensure a fair trial.
A number of Republican senators have been planning for what they hope will be a speedy acquittal for Trump ahead of the expected impeachment trial in the upper chamber. McConnell has also said that he does not plan to be an "impartial juror" during the trial and has said he'll be in "total coordination" with the White House leading up to the trial.
When pressed during her interview by host George Stephanopoulos
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The Speaker instead said the results of her strategy have been “positive” thus far, pointing to more unredacted documents that have emerged since the House voted to impeach Trump last month as well as former national security adviser John Bolton
John BoltonWant to evaluate Donald Trump's judgment? Listen to Donald Trump Will Pence primary Trump — and win? Bolton: Trump lacked enough 'advance thinking' for a coup MORE coming forward to say he would agree to testify the Senate impeachment trial subpoenaed.
She also said delaying the articles is “raising the profile of the fact that we need to have witnesses and documentation, and if we don’t that it's a cover-up.”
It has been almost four weeks since the House voted to impeach Trump over his dealings with Ukraine. He now awaits trial in the Senate.
Pelosi said she plans to consult with her members later this week on when to deliver the articles to the upper chamber. The trial in the Senate is expected to begin less than 24 hours after the articles are sent over.
McConnell has told Republican senators to expect the trial to begin later this week.
