US Senate ‘Remains at Impasse’ on Impeachment Trial Ground Rules - Majority Leader

WASHINGTON, (Sputnik) - US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he is at an impasse with Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on the ground rules for the Senate impeachment trial.

On Wednesday, Trump became the third president in US history to be impeached when the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives voted in favor of articles that accused him of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

"This afternoon, my friend the Democratic leader and I had a cordial conversation, we discussed potential paths forward following the House Democrats' precedent-breaking impeachment of President [Donald] Trump... as of today however, we remain at an impasse," McConnell said during remarks on the Senate floor on Thursday.

McConnell said Schumer is continuing to demand a new set of rules for the impeachment trial against Trump.

Earlier on Thursday, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House of Representatives would not send the article of impeachment to the Senate until it is clear what the Senate impeachment trial process will look like.

The impeachment vote came following House investigations that concluded he solicited foreign meddling in the US electoral process.

Trump will have to face trial in the US Senate but is unlikely to be removed from power as the higher legislative decision-making body is controlled by members of the Republican Party, who have made it clear that they viewed his impeachment as a sham.