President Donald Trump returned from a shortened trip to the UK-based NATO summit amidst an ongoing impeachment inquiry threatening his administration — and issued an interesting challenge to House Democrats leading the proceedings.

In a Thursday morning set of tweets, Trump first dismissed Wednesday’s hearings with legal scholars as a “historically bad day” for the “do-nothing Democrats,” before declaring that “they have no Impeachment case.”

He then challenged House Dems to start proceedings now: “Therefore I say, if you are going to impeach me, do it now, fast, so we can have a fair … trial in the Senate, and so that our country can get back to business.”

Trump tweeted:

The Do Nothing Democrats had a historically bad day yesterday in the House. They have no Impeachment case and are demeaning our Country. But nothing matters to them, they have gone crazy. Therefore I say, if you are going to impeach me, do it now, fast, so we can have a fair…. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 5, 2019

…..trial in the Senate, and so that our Country can get back to business. We will have Schiff, the Bidens, Pelosi and many more testify, and will reveal, for the first time, how corrupt our system really is. I was elected to “Clean the Swamp,” and that’s what I am doing! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 5, 2019

There are political benefits for Trump to have a Senate trial quickly. First, the trial will allow Trump to bring individuals into the proceedings that will allow his defense, and also score some political points (namely, on Hunter Biden.) Secondly, impeachment proceedings that drag through the first half of 2020 will likely keep alleged White House malfeasance in the news cycle while Trump is aiming for re-election.

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