Former President Donald Trump has been acquitted on a single charge of inciting insurrection following the Senate impeachment trial. The vote was 57-43 in favor of convicting Trump but it did not reach the 2/3 majority required to convict him.

Trump released a statement promising his supporters that "our historic, patriotic and beautiful movement to Make America Great Again has only just begun."

"In the months ahead I have much to share with you, and I look forward to continuing our incredible journey together to achieve American greatness for all of our people. There has never been anything like it," the statement reads.

Seven Republican Senators crossed party lines to vote to convict Trump: Richard Burr of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania all voted guilty.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer blasted Republican lawmakers who voted against convicting Trump.

"January 6 will live as a day of infamy in the history of the United States of America," he said. "The failure to convict Donald Trump will live as a vote of infamy in the history of the United States Senate. The former president tried to overturn the results of a legitimate election and provoked an assault on our own government, and well over half the Senate Republican Conference decided to condone it."

The final day of the trial was filled with action as the Senate voted to allow witnesses, which would have prolonged the trial by weeks. During a recess, the House impeachment managers reached a deal with Trump's legal team that would allow a statement by Washington Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler to be entered into the record, and no witnesses would be called.

Beutler's statement recalled a conversation she had with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy about a phone call he had with Trump on January 6.

"When McCarthy finally reached the president on January 6 and asked him to publicly and forcefully call off the riot," the statement reads, "the president initially repeated the falsehood that it was Antifa that had breached the Capitol. McCarthy refuted that and told the president that these were Trump supporters."

Beutler said Mcarthy told her that the president replied, "Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are."

After the statement was entered into the record, the House impeachment managers and Trump's legal team made their closing arguments before the final vote was held.

Photo: Getty Images

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