White House reportedly expects several GOP senators to break ranks and call for witnesses in Trump's impeachment trial

Associated Press

• The White House expects several Republican senators to join Democrats in calling for witnesses in President Donald Trump's upcoming impeachment trial, CBS News reports.
• The report said senior White House officials expect at least four Republican senators, likely more, to break ranks with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on the issue.
• Republicans only have a three-seat majority in the upper chamber, and if four or more GOP senators join Demcorats to call for witnesses, it's likely McConnell will be forced to cave on the matter.
• Some of the names White House officials threw out included Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, and potentially Cory Gardner of Colorado.
• If McConnell gives in to demands to call witnesses, it would dramatically alter the stakes of Trump's trial by forcing top executive branch officials — who have so far refused to testify — to reveal what they know to the public about the president's efforts to solicit foreign interference in the 2020 election.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The White House expects several Republican senators to join Democrats in calling for witnesses in President Donald Trump's upcoming impeachment trial, CBS News reports.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has withheld the two articles of impeachment against Trump while Democrats and Republicans duked it out over the terms of a trial, chief among which was the question of whether to call witnesses.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: A law professor weighs in on how Trump could beat impeachment

See Also:

SEE ALSO: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will send Trump articles of impeachment to Senate this week