Trump leaves chilly DC for Christmas in Florida

Donald Trump headed for sunny Florida on Friday as the Senate adjourned until January, putting a stop to the US president's hopes of a speedy impeachment hearing.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, and Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer were unable to agree on procedure, resulting in a delay until the new year for the impeachment process.

Read more: Trump earned his impeachment

As a result, Trump will get the chance to enjoy a golf holiday through the new year at his Palm Beach resort, despite the clouds swirling over his presidency in Washington.

President stymied, for now

Trump, who was due to arrive at his resort late Friday, is frustrated with the hold-up, according to Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of the president.

"He's mad as hell that they would do this to him and now deny him his day in court," Graham told Fox News after meeting with the president at the White House on Thursday night.

Just prior to boarding his plane to Florida for his Christmas break, Trump turned his ire on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's refusal, until now, to send the articles of impeachment to the Senate. He tweeted: "Nancy Pelosi is looking for a Quid Pro Quo with the Senate. Why aren't we Impeaching her?"

The US House of Representatives voted Wednesday to impeach Trump after Democrats accused him of withholding military aid while pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate his political rival Joe Biden and Biden's son Hunter for his own political gain. He is also accused of obstructing Congress by refusing to cooperate with the impeachment investigation.

Trump is still likely to be acquitted of both charges in the Senate, where Republicans have the majority, in what will be only the third presidential impeachment trial in US history.

Flying high

Meanwhile, Trump also found time on Friday to sign into law a $1.4 trillion (€1.25 trillion) budget package for the fiscal year 2020, thus avoiding a government shutdown, White House spokesman Judd Deere told reporters traveling with the president on Air Force One.

Trump signed the bill en route from Washington to Florida.

jsi/rc (AP, AFP, Reuters)

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