Trump thinks Democrat impeachment case can be ‘very easily rebutted’, senior adviser says

Ex-president has been watching his trial from Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida

Donald Trump thinks that the Democrat impeachment case against him can be "very easily rebutted," a senior adviser says.

Jason Miller said he had spoken with Mr Trump, who is at his Mar-a-Lago estate watching the impeachment proceedings, about how the case against him was going.

And he told Fox News that the ex-president, who has been impeached for a historic second time, was positive about how things were unfolding.

"I just spoke to him five minutes ago, you just caught me right after I got off the phone with him," said Mr Miller.

"So, I think the president agrees with my position, that the Democrats...everything they are saying today is very easily rebutted."

Read more: Follow all the latest Trump impeachment news live

During the opening day of the Senate trial, the ex-president reportedly "screamed" at his TV during the meandering statement of his defence lawyer, Bruce Castor.

"Multiple people tell me Trump was basically screaming as Castor made a meandering opening argument that struggled to get at the heart of the defence team's argument," said CNN's chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins.

The trial moved forward on Tuesday after six Republicans joined Democrats in a 56 to 44 vote that ruled Trump's second trial is constitutional.

Earlier Mr Miller told Fox News, that Mr Trump was in a "great mood."

"The president was in a great mood. First of all, he's in Palm Beach ... But otherwise it was a quick conversation, because I had to join Fox News,” he said.

A total of 67 senators will be needed to vote in favour of convicting Mr Trump at the end of his trial.

If that supermajority mark is passed and the ex-president is convicted, the Senate can take action against him and vote by a simple majority to disqualify Mr Trump from ever holding elected office again.

That would prevent him seeking the GOP presidential nomination in the 2024 race, for which he is still favoured among possible Republican candidates, polls show.