![Trump's defense team faces a heavy burden, but loyalty to former President hangs over trial](https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/210211173414-106-trump-impeachment-play-button-super-tease.jpg)
Trump's defense team faces a heavy burden, but loyalty to former President hangs over trial
CNN
Donald Trump's defense lawyers face a daunting mission Friday in refuting a devastating impeachment case that the former President is a dangerous tyrant who turned his mob on his fellow Americans. But it's clear their task will be aided by GOP senators who care as much about political damage control as clearing Trump's name.
But after they huddled Thursday with three of Trump's top supporters -- Sens. Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham and Mike Lee -- who are supposed to be serving as impartial jurors -- it's clear their task will be aided by Republican senators who care as much about political damage control as clearing Trump's name. No matter how persuasive the Democrats' case was over the past week, the raw political math remains on Trump's side. There is still no indication 17 Republican senators are willing to join Democrats to convict the former President for inciting the deadly insurrection on January 6.![](/newspic/picid-6252001-20240726054930.jpg)
Hot and dry weather is fueling wildfire activity in the Western United States and Canada, with fires damaging homes, causing injuries and forcing evacuations. The largest active wildfire in the US has scorched more than 280,000 acres in eastern Oregon and another blaze has exploded to nearly 125,000 acres in California.
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A Justice Department watchdog has found that former Attorney General Bill Barr was personally involved in the decision to publicize an incident from the 2020 election – nine mail-in ballots for Donald Trump being discarded in a dumpster in Pennsylvania – that flamed the false narrative of widespread voter fraud.