Let’s face it – Trump’s impeachment trial and its results are the big stories this weekend. It was a foregone conclusion that Donald Trump would be acquitted. The only real uncertainty was how many Republican senators would vote with all of the Democrats to find him guilty of inciting a riot on Capitol Hill on January 6. The vote was 57-43. Seven Republicans voted to convict Trump. It struck me that the statements released by Biden and by Trump show the deep political divide in our country.

Biden waited about seven hours before speaking about the impeachment vote. He has pretty much avoided answering questions from reporters throughout the process, clearly trying to sidestep a hot button issue. His statement is clear – it’s now time to move on. He knows as long as the dominant story is the impeachment trial, his agenda is going nowhere. When the House impeachment managers quickly caved and decided to not call witnesses after torpedoing the trial on Saturday morning, they left Majority Leader Schumer flat-footed and scrambling to organize his response. After their attempt to drag out the trial failed, though they had the votes to do so, it became clear that the White House must have sent a message to Democrats – get this thing over with already.

President Biden was able to point to a bipartisan vote in favor of conviction. However, Democrats didn’t reach the threshold of 67 votes needed to convict. Now Biden is hoping everyone will just move on. Fat chance.

It was nearly two weeks ago that Jill and I paid our respects to Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who laid in honor in the Rotunda after losing his life protecting the Capitol from a riotous, violent mob on January 6, 2021.

Today, 57 Senators – including a record 7 Republicans – voted to find former President Trump guilty for inciting that deadly insurrection on our very democracy. The Senate vote followed the bipartisan vote to impeach him by the House of Representatives. While the final vote did not lead to a conviction, the substance of the charge is not in dispute. Even those opposed to the conviction, like Senate Minority Leader McConnell, believe Donald Trump was guilty of a “disgraceful dereliction of duty” and “practically and morally responsible for provoking” the violence unleashed on the Capitol.

Tonight, I am thinking about those who bravely stood guard that January day. I’m thinking about all those who lost their lives, all those whose lives were threatened, and all those who are still today living with terror they lived through that day. And I’m thinking of those who demonstrated the courage to protect the integrity of our democracy – Democrats and Republicans, election officials and judges, elected representatives and poll workers – before and after the election.

This sad chapter in our history has reminded us that democracy is fragile. That it must always be defended. That we must be ever vigilant. That violence and extremism has no place in America. And that each of us has a duty and responsibility as Americans, and especially as leaders, to defend the truth and to defeat the lies.

That is how we end this uncivil war and heal the very soul of our nation. That is the task ahead. And it’s a task we must undertake together. As the United States of America.

Violence and extremism has no place in America. Most Americans agree with that. However, Biden loses credibility as he now opines about violence and extremism because he remained silent during the many months of violence and destruction in the streets of major cities across the country. During his campaign, as the Summer of Love was playing out, he refused to weigh in. His vice-president paid to bail out violent thugs, including one who was released only to go to another street riot and bust open the head of an innocent person. Joe and Kamala did not dare to take those rioters to task over any of that. Apparently, some violence is ok.

Donald Trump released a statement of his own. In contrast to Biden’s, he addresses his supporters by sending a signal – the MAGA movement is going to continue to grow. He’s not going anywhere. His statement is wordier than Biden’s, which is fitting, given the fact that Sleepy Joe can barely get through a fifteen-minute speech on any given day.

I want to first thank my team of dedicated lawyers and others for their tireless work upholding justice and defending truth.

My deepest thanks as well to all of the United States Senators and Members of Congress who stood proudly for the Constitution we all revere and for the sacred legal principles at the heart of our country.

Our cherished Constitutional Republic was founded on the impartial rule of law, the indispensable safeguard for our liberties, our rights and our freedoms.

It is a sad commentary on our times that one political party in America is given a free pass to denigrate the rule of law, defame law enforcement, cheer mobs, excuse rioters, and transform justice into a tool of political vengeance, and persecute, blacklist, cancel and suppress all people and viewpoints with whom or which they disagree. I always have, and always will, be a champion for the unwavering rule of law, the heroes of law enforcement, and the right of Americans to peacefully and honorably debate the issues of the day without malice and without hate.

This has been yet another phase of the greatest witch hunt in the history of our Country. No president has ever gone through anything like it, and it continues because our opponents cannot forget the almost 75 million people, the highest number ever for a sitting president, who voted for us just a few short months ago.

I also want to convey my gratitude to the millions of decent, hardworking, law-abiding, God-and-Country loving citizens who have bravely supported these important principles in these very difficult and challenging times.

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!

We have so much work ahead of us, and soon we will emerge with a vision for a bright, radiant, and limitless American future.

Together there is nothing we cannot accomplish.

We remain one People, one family, and one glorious nation under God, and it’s our responsibility to preserve this magnificent inheritance for our children and for generations of Americans to come.

May God bless all of you, and may God forever bless the United States of America.

It is easy to imagine Trump delivering these remarks to a cheering crowd of supporters. I’m kind of surprised some kind of mini-rally wasn’t organized for Trump to take a victory lap for being acquitted in his second impeachment trial. Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and every other Trump-deranged Democrat failed again to accomplish their goal – to make sure Trump isn’t able to run for office again. Trump, in contrast, isn’t shutting any doors. He’s saying stay tuned – there is more to come.