5 Christian leaders, political commentators respond to President Trump's acquittal

By Brandon Showalter, Opinion writer and social commentator Friday, February 07, 2020

President Donald Trump holds a copy of The Washington Post as he speaks in the East Room of the White House one day after the U.S. Senate acquitted him on two articles of impeachment brought by Democrats in the House without bipartisan support, on February 6, 2020, in Washington, D.C. | Drew Angerer/Getty Images

After a months-long impeachment process that has exposed many divisions in the nation, the Senate voted to acquit President Trump Wednesday on two articles brought by Democratic members of the House: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

The votes were 52-48 and 53-47, with Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, voting to convict the president on the first article. Other than Romney, the Senate votes fell along partisan lines, with every Democrat voting to convict and every Republican voting to acquit. The acquittal came the day after Tuesday's State of the Union address.

Speaking Thursday in the East Room of the White House, President Trump celebrated the end of the process, and took aim at those who launched the effort, such as Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

"Nancy Pelosi is a horrible person," the president said, adding that he did not think she was sincere in her prayers.

Throughout the impeachment process, Pelosi often emphasized that it was sad time for the country and said she was praying for the president and urged Americans to be prayerful.

The president also made a point to thank the Republican members of the House and Senate who were either part of his defense team or who most vocally backed him in the past several months. Trump predicted House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., would soon become Speaker of the House.

Reactions to the president's acquittal and White House speech Thursday have poured in. Here's how some Christian thought leaders and public figures are responding.