US congressional Republicans face a week of reckoning ahead of Donald Trump's second impeachment trial as the former president contends with a deadline to respond to the charges and his party mulls whether to punish Representative Liz Cheney for backing impeachment.
Mr Trump is due to file a response to the House impeachment charges by Tuesday. He named two new lead lawyers to his defence team on Sunday after abruptly parting ways with his lead impeachment counsel the day before.
David Schoen, who operates a criminal defence practice based in Alabama, and Bruce Castor, a former Philadelphia-area district attorney, will replace lawyers Butch Bowers and Deborah Barberi, Mr Trump's office said.
The Democratic-led House voted on 13 January to impeach Mr Trump, with 10 Republicans voting in favour, on a charge of inciting an insurrection for his incendiary speech to supporters before the 6 January US Capitol siege. A pro-Trump mob interrupted the formal congressional certification of Mr Biden's election victory in a rampage that left five people dead.
Mr Trump's Republican Party remained deeply divided between those who supported impeachment and those who have remained loyal to the former president.
Politicians on the Republican right flank are aiming to remove Ms Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, as the party's No. 3 in the House. House Republicans are expected to address the issue when they meet as a group on Wednesday.
House Republican Adam Kinzinger, who also voted to impeach, on Sunday announced a new political action committee called the Country First PAC, intended to challenge Mr Trump's ongoing grip on the party. Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," Mr Kinzinger said his party had "lost its moral authority in a lot of areas" and under Mr Trump had pedalled "darkness and division."
People cheer as Representative Matt Gaetz speaks during a rally against Liz Cheney on 28 January, 2021 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Source: Getty Images
Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union" program, Senator Rob Portman urged his fellow Republicans in the House not to rebuke Mr Cheney.
"I think she is very smart, and she plays a key role in our party, particularly on foreign affairs. So I would hope that they would not go down that road," Mr Portman said.
During the impeachment debate, Ms Cheney said of Mr Trump's actions: "There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution" - remarks seized upon by Democrats.
Republican leaders also may have to decide whether to take any action regarding first- term Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who had expressed support for executing Democrats including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi before she was elected. Ms Greene first gained national attention for her interest in the QAnon conspiracy theory that falsely claims that high-profile Democrats are part of a child pedophile ring.
Concerning Ms Greene, Mr Portman said Republican leaders "ought to stand up and say it is totally unacceptable what she has said." Of the possibility Ms Greene could be stripped of her membership on House committees, Mr Portman said that "I wouldn't be surprised if that happens."
There are strong indications that too few Republicans will join the Democrats to achieve the two-thirds majority needed to convict Mr Trump in the Senate. Forty-five of the 50 Republican senators last Tuesday supported a resolution declaring the trial unconstitutional because Mr Trump is now a private citizen, having left office on 20 January.
"That sets up a precedent. And I think all former presidents, those alive and those not, could be affected in a negative way," Mr Portman said.
While Mr Portman said Mr Trump's behaviour had been "inexcusable," he added, "Well, it can be inexcusable, and yet not be subject to a conviction after a president has left office."
