Trump is teasing that he could make an awkward, unscheduled appearance at his own impeachment trial
- President Trump suggested Wednesday that he could make an unanticipated appearance at his impeachment trial.
- "Wouldn't that be beautiful?" he asked reporters in Davos, Switzerland.
- Trump earlier toyed with appearing to testify in impeachment proceedings, but dropped the idea.
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President Donald Trump on Wednesday dangled the possibility that he could show up as a spectator to his own impeachment trial in the Senate.
The President suggested to reporters at a news conference at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that he would be keen to attend.
He said: "I'd love to go. Wouldn't that be great, wouldn't that be beautiful? I'd love... sit right in the front row and stare in their corrupt faces... I'd love to do it."
In response to a follow-up question, Trump said "No, don't keep talking - because you may convince me to do it."
Trump later re-tweeted a message from Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, offering him a ticket to observe proceedings from the viewing gallery.
At the Davos press conference, Trump conceded that his legal team "might have a problem" with him attending.
Even without taking a formal role in proceedings, if Trump really were to go to the trial, it would likely wrest attention away from whoever was speaking, and change how events are perceived beyond the chamber.
Earlier in impeachment proceedings, Trump toyed with making an in-person appearance to give evidence, but ultimately did not.
Responding in November to an interview by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Trump wrote:
"Our Crazy, Do Nothing (where's USMCA, infrastructure, lower drug pricing & much more?) Speaker of the House, Nervous Nancy Pelosi, who is petrified by her Radical Left knowing she will soon be gone (they & Fake News Media are her BOSS), suggested on Sunday's DEFACE THE NATION that I testify about the phony Impeachment Witch Hunt.
"She also said I could do it in writing. Even though I did nothing wrong, and don't like giving credibility to this No Due Process Hoax, I like the idea & will, in order to get Congress focused again, strongly consider it!"
Reacting to the prospect of Trump appearing to spectate at the trial, Republican senators expressed bemusement to The New York Post.
One Democratic Senator, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, said: "President Trump also said he would like to testify under oath. That I would like to see."