Giuliani says he won’t be on Trump impeachment defense team

Trump was impeached by the House for a second time last week.

President Donald Trump is slated to hand over control of the White House to President-elect Joe Biden in three days.

The House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump last Wednesday on an article for "incitement of insurrection" for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol -- making him the only president to be impeached twice.


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Overview: Trump plans counterprogramming amid backlash, Biden to receive second dose of COVID-19 vaccine

While House Democrats take action to remove Trump from office after he encouraged supporters to march on Capitol Hill last week.

Trump on Monday plans to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- the nation's highest civilian honor -- to GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, his longtime defender, in a closed event, something not the event not mentioned on his schedule, a White House official said. Later in the week, he's expected to bestow the same honor on New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.

Sources told ABC News over the weekend the White House is building out a week of programming to highlight Trump’s record over the dwindling days of his administration, despite amplified calls for Trump to resign or risk facing a second impeachment. Appearing to dismiss those calls, Trump has a trip planned for Tuesday to Texas to showcase the border wall he's pushed hard for, and is expected to host events in the next week to highlight what sources say are the administration's achievements in areas including foreign affairs, business and pandemic response.

The president was angry for much of this past weekend -- mostly about Twitter permanently suspending his account on Friday, according to sources who have spoken directly to Trump. Sources said the president is expected to depart Washington before Biden takes the oath of office on Jan. 20.

While Biden said last week it’s a "good thing" Trump isn’t attending his inauguration, he hasn’t said whether he supports impeaching Trump, deflecting that decision to Congress instead. Biden's said he wants the incoming Congress to focus on his Cabinet nominations and pandemic relief from the onset, but an impeachment trial in the Senate risks preempting the rest of its business.

On Monday, Biden is slated to meet with transition and economic advisors and will publicly receive the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from Wilmington, Delaware, in the afternoon.

-ABC News Chief White House Correspondent, John Santucci and Katherine Faulders


Shaken Washington mulls Trump’s fate and more: Analysis

It might be that the very divisions Trump has stoked save him from being removed from office early.

It may also be that forces beyond his control now contribute to his ultimate and final undoing.

In the flurry of recriminations from Wednesday’s assault on the Capitol, the question has shifted from whether Trump would leave office to when and exactly how it all goes down. The president will almost certainly be impeached again by the House early this week, as official Washington realizes anew how bad last week was, and how bad things might get over the next nine days and beyond.

At stake are final judgments for history on Trump, including the possibility of disqualification from running for office again. The decisions ahead for lawmakers matter greatly for Trump and the future of the GOP, and also for internal Democratic politics and the agenda Biden hopes to enact.

The strongest argument Republicans are now offering against impeachment doesn’t try to defend Trump’s actions or even argue that he’s fit to stay in office through Jan. 20.

Instead, it’s an argument that the cause of national unity is best-served by waiting Trump out -- and hoping that no further political violence erupts in Washington, state capitals and even lawmakers’ homes.

Trump has barely cared about his legacy in any traditional sense, and this week’s White House attempts to remind people of his accomplishments aren’t likely to change things.

Last week left indelible marks on his permanent record. Actions in the coming days could not only influence how he’s remembered, but also how the country comes through a turbulent and troublesome period.

-ABC News' Political Director Rick Klein


GOP knocks 'rushed' process, calls for unity in wake of Capitol violence

Following several Republicans who aired their grievances with a "rushed" process, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, condemned Trump for pressing Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the election but argued he couldn't support the impeachment article as written.

"Let us condemn which must be condemned but do it the right way with deliberation and without disastrous side effects. We must end tearing apart our nation by social media and sound bite," Roy said.

Another Texas Republican, Rep. Jodey Arrington, expressed some discontent at the president's rhetoric but suggested it would set a dangerous precedent to pin the actions of his supporters at the Capitol on the president.

"I'm not saying that the president didn't exercise poor judgment, but to criminalize political speech by blaming lawless acts on the president's rhetoric is wrong and a very dangerous precedent," he said to groans from Democrats. "The criminals who stormed the Capitol that day acted on their own volition. They are responsible. This is an important moment for our nation. We have to come together."

While other Republicans didn't go so far as to directly condemn Trump, they all condemned the violence at the Capitol -- but argued it was time for unity and healing, instead of an impeachment with one week until Biden's inauguration.

Democrats, however, rejected that stance.

"A police officer was killed. And what I hear from the other side is that it's time to heal? He's not even buried yet!" Rep. Donald Norcross, D-N.J., scolded his colleagues.

"If he has four years or four days, we must do the right thing for all Americans because he must be held accountable," he added.

Republicans argued there had been no hearings or witnesses called in the Judiciary Committee, to which Democrats responded that the lawmakers themselves witnessed the violence and immediate action must be taken to avoid further threats.

-ABC News' Benjamin Siegel