GOP leader McConnell will vote to acquit Trump

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told colleagues Saturday that he will vote to acquit Donald Trump in his impeachment trial, ending suspense over what the chamber’s most influential Republican would decide and all but slamming the door on chances that the former president would be found guilty.

The longest-serving GOP Senate leader in history made his views known in a letter to fellow Republican lawmakers, according to two sources familiar with McConnell’s thinking who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss his decision.

Word of McConnell’s decision came minutes before the beginning of Saturday’s session of the Senate trial, which is expected to be a final day of proceedings. Trump is charged with inciting the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.

The latest updates on Trump’s second impeachment trial:

Photos from Trump’s second impeachment