(Reuters) – After House Democrats presented their impeachment case against U.S. President Donald Trump for three days this week, Trump’s defense team will begin its rebuttal on Saturday.
Here is what to look out for next:
SATURDAY
* The president’s team will present their opening arguments, though they are not expected to take long, about three hours. The presentation is expected to start mid-morning – a contrast to the sessions earlier in the week that started in the early afternoons and stretched into the night.
NEXT WEEK
* With the Senate out of session on Sunday, the president’s legal team will continue to build its case. It may make presentations on Monday and Tuesday, although Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow said the team had not yet decided how much of its time it would use.
* Following the opening arguments, senators would have 16 hours to submit questions to each side.
LATE JANUARY TO EARLY FEBRUARY
* Democrats are expected to continue pushing to hear from witnesses during the trial. If the Senate decides to subpoena witnesses, they would first be deposed privately before the Senate decided on public testimony.
* Votes to present final arguments could occur if no subpoenas are issued and if witnesses are not approved by a majority of the Senate.
FEB. 4
* Trump is scheduled to deliver the annual State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress.
Reporting by David Morgan and Andy Sullivan in Washington; editing by Peter Cooney and Grant McCool
