Washington:

The US Senate’s top Republican Mitch McConnell revealed Saturday that he will vote against convicting Donald Trump, as the impeachment trial of the former president nears its conclusion with a likely acquittal.

While describing the vote on whether to convict as a “close call,” he told colleagues in a letter that “I am persuaded that impeachments are a tool primarily of removal and we therefore lack jurisdiction.”

“I will vote to acquit,” McConnell added, leaving it highly likely that the Senate will fail to reach the two-thirds majority necessary to convict Trump on the single charge of incitement of insurrection.

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