The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

Trump’s GOP support hardens despite damning impeachment testimony

November 23, 2019 at 3:49 p.m. EST
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), flanked by President Trump and counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway, speaks at a White House meeting on electronic cigarettes on Friday. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

After two weeks of extraordinary open hearings that Democrats envisioned as their best opportunity to shape public opinion on impeachment, President Trump claims to be impervious to the cascade of damaging revelations because of hardening Republican opposition to his removal from office.

So far, the historic proceedings have exacerbated the political divide. Some moderate Republican lawmakers once seen as the most likely to break with Trump condemned his conduct but signaled in recent days that they would probably vote against his impeachment because they do not believe the president’s actions meet that threshold.