The gloves are off.

Smelling blood in the water, President Donald Trump is reportedly challenging Democrats take him to trial in the Senate should the House impeach him.

"I want a trial," Trump said, according to Michael Goodwin in the New York Post.

"As of now, the new year will feature an impeachment trial in the Senate followed by the presidential election. If Trump survives Democrats' effort to remove him, he would be the first impeached president to face voters again," Goodwin noted.

The columnist notes that an acquittal by the Senate would improve Trump's re-election prospects. "Given the flimsy allegations and the unfair, one-party nature of the House process, beating impeachment in the Senate seems close to a sure thing. And doing so would dramatically boost Trump's chances of getting four more years."

Conviction in the Senate is highly unlikely

Trump is sanguine about his chances of acquittal in the Senate because it is controlled by Republicans by a 53 to 47 margin. To be convicted, Democrats would need a two-thirds supermajority vote. Thus, even if all 47 Democrats were to vote to remove Trump from office, it is highly unlikely that 20 Republicans would join them.

Plainly stated, as Sen. David Purdue (R-Ga.) said recently on Fox News, there is not "a chance in hell" that the Senate will convict the president.

Senator David Perdue Joins Fox News "Special Report" With Bret Baier www.youtube.com





BRET BAIER, 'SPECIAL REPORT' HOST: Is there any chance if Nancy Pelosi gets the votes on an articles impeachment moves through to a Senate trial? Is there any chance in your mind that the president could be convicted in a Senate trial?



SEN. DAVID PERDUE (R-GA): Not a chance in hell.



BAIER: Zero, you've already made up your mind.



PERDUE: Absolutely. I've seen the evidence, there is nothing that rises to the level of impeachment. This is a clear example of the continued obstructionism to try to undo a duly elected president from 2016.