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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Trump and Pence met Monday evening, according to senior administration official

President Trump and Vice President Pence met in the Oval Office Monday evening, according to a senior Trump administration official.

It was the first time they had met since last week.

According to the official, "the two had a good conversation, discussing the week ahead and reflecting on the last four years of the administration's work and accomplishments."

"They reiterated that those who broke the law and stormed the Capitol last week do not represent the America first movement backed by 75 million Americans and pledged to continue the work on behalf of the country for the remainder of their term," the official said.

-ABC News' Ben Gittleson


Top House Republican says he doesn't support impeachment effort

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said in a letter to Republican colleagues that he does not support the Democrats' effort to impeach Trump.

"Personally, I continue to believe that an impeachment at this time would have the opposite effect of bringing our country together when we need to get America back on a path towards unity and civility," McCarthy wrote in his letter that he sent Monday, obtained by ABC News.

Instead, he is pushing for four other alternatives to impeachment, including a resolution of censure under the rules of the House, a bipartisan commission to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack, reforming the Electoral Count Act of 1887 and legislation to promote voter confidence in future federal elections

-ABC News' Mariam Khan


Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf resigning

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf is resigning from the Trump administration effective at 11:59 p.m. Monday, according to an internal message sent to staff at the department, citing "recent events."

"I am saddened to take this step, as it was my intention to serve the Department until the end of this Administration. Unfortunately, this action is warranted by recent events, including the ongoing and meritless court rulings regarding the validity of my authority as Acting Secretary. These events and concerns increasingly serve to divert attention and resources away from the important work of the Department in this critical time of a transition of power," he said in an email to colleagues.

-ABC News' Luke Barr


Pelosi gives Pence deadline before House votes to impeach Trump as early as Wednesday

The House of Representatives is expected to return at 9 a.m. Tuesday to debate and pass a bill via a roll call vote demanding Vice President Mike Pence mobilize the Cabinet to remove Trump from office through the 25th Amendment. The vote is expected around 7:30 p.m., according to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s office.

Democrats will give Pence "24 hours after passage" to respond, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a statement earlier Monday, otherwise they will likely move forward with an impeachment vote on Wednesday, setting up Trump to be the first president in U.S. history impeached twice.

“The President’s threat to America is urgent, and so too will be our action,” Pelosi said in the statement.

As of right now, no Republicans have signed on to the legislation that calls on Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment, which is a likely indicator as to what happens with a potential vote on impeachment.

But sources tell ABC News that it’s possible some Republicans may vote to impeach Trump.

The single article of impeachment charging Trump with “incitement of insurrection” also cites Trump's call with the Georgia Republican secretary of state where he urged him to "find" enough votes for Trump to win the state and, separately, cites the Constitution's 14th Amendment, noting that it "prohibits any person who has 'engaged in insurrection or rebellion against' the United States" from holding office.

-ABC News' Mariam Khan


McConnell indicates Senate trial should take place after Trump leaves office

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated that the Senate impeachment trial should take place after Trump leaves office.

The Senate impeachment process will begin "at our first regular meeting following receipt of the article from the House," McConnell wrote in a new statement, saying he believes it would be best for the country to have an orderly transfer of power completed before a trial begins.

The Senate is currently scheduled to return to Washington on Tuesday, making that the earliest day for any Senate action related to the trial to occur -- but McConnell's message to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democrats is for them not to send the articles until after Biden is sworn in.

McConnell has no control over when a trial begins -- that is determined by the articles sent to the Senate​​.

While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has so far declined to say publicly when the House will send the article over to the Senate, a source involved in the Democratic leadership deliberations told ABC News earlier Wednesday Pelosi planned to send the article to the Senate next week.

"Even if the Senate process were to begin this week and move promptly, no final verdict would be reached until after President Trump had left office. This is not a decision I am making; it is a fact. The President-elect himself stated last week that his inauguration on January 20 is the ‘quickest’ path for any change in the occupant of the presidency," McConnell wrote.

"In light of this reality, I believe it will best serve our nation if Congress and the executive branch spend the next seven days completely focused on facilitating a safe inauguration and an orderly transfer of power to the incoming Biden Administration."

McConnell confirmed on the record earlier Wednesday that he is considering voting to convict Trump on inciting an insurrection.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin