Republicans have no votes to bar new witnesses on impeachment

The leader of the Republican majority in the US Senate, Mitch McConnell, admitted the senators on the evening of Tuesday 28 that does not have enough votes to block the calling of new witnesses in the trial of impeachment of Donald Trump in the House, according to the press American.

According to The Washington Post , McConnell called a closed-door meeting with Republican Party senators shortly after Trump's defense made its final arguments at the trial. In the conversation, he said that some party members remain uncommitted to protecting the American president from removal.

The Senate is preparing to enter a new phase in the impeachment trial. After presenting the defense's arguments, congressmen will begin up to two days of questions for both Trump's legal team and House Democrats, who have served as prosecutors in the process. The president is accused of abuse of power and of obstructing Congress in the episode of his request that Ukraine investigate political rival Joe Biden.

The questions precede a crucial vote later this week on whether new witnesses could be called to testify, including former White House National Security adviser John Bolton , as Democrats want.

So far, Republican senators, who are the majority in the House, have refused to allow witnesses or new evidence at the trial. Democrats need four Republican senators to join them in the vote in order to win a majority in the 100-seat Senate.