“Certainly, the president has those in the Senate who are very interested in his views,” said Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), but added, “Those are decisions to more likely be made by senators themselves, and individually and collectively, than outside influences.”

“There’s obviously a frustration on [Trump’s] part that makes him just want to get everything out in the open,” said Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). “But we have an obligation to conduct the trial in the way that in our judgment is most appropriate. And that’s reflected in the organizing resolution.”

As a president who both wants to fight the charges against him while simultaneously arguing the “country has to get back to business,” Trump is sending his party mixed messages ahead of a critical point next week on whether to call witnesses. And that’s because the president himself is conflicted about how to handle the third presidential impeachment trial in U.S. history, allies say.

Trump’s comments also showed the challenges of working with an outspoken and erratic president right in the middle of an effort to oust him from office — all in an election year to boot.

After Trump’s legal team emphatically supported McConnell’s organizing resolution setting up a potentially speedy trial, the president mused in Davos on Wednesday morning about going the “long way” on his trial, with testimony from a “a lot of people,” including former national security adviser John Bolton, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Energy Secretary Rick Perry.

And though Trump ultimately left the question of how to handle the trial to the Senate, he made clear how he feels about whether to wind down the trial as quickly as possible: “Personally, I would rather go the long route.”

However, in an interview with Fox News later in the day, Trump then asserted “it would be very bad for the Republican Party if we lost that great unity that we have right now” by voting with Democrats for witnesses.