“We can rearrange the dominoes on the board. The outcome isn’t changing,” said Scott Jennings, who worked under President George W. Bush and is close to the Trump White House. “All this maneuvering — there is no point. This is a prudent path forward for the president.”

Many Republicans are eager to wrap up the impeachment trial, which could conclude this week if the Senate doesn’t call witnesses, and return to regular legislative business as they head into an election season.

The White House is telling senators that if they don’t resist the call for witnesses, the proceedings could “turn it into a full-fledged trial with multiple witnesses on both sides and drawn out legal battles on evidentiary issues and privilege,” said a Republican close to the White House. That “could drag things out for months“ and become “tough on all incumbents up for reelection.”…

No decision has been made but if Trump invokes executive privilege, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who is presiding over the trial, could rule, subject to an appeal to the full Senate. But Trump could try to take the dispute to court, filing a motion to quash the subpoenas in U.S. District Court in Washington, which could eventually end up before the full Supreme Court.