Mitch McConnell

=====First impeachment=====
{{Main|First impeachment of Donald Trump}}
On November 5, 2019, as the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] began public hearings on the impeachment of President Trump, McConnell said, "I'm pretty sure how [an impeachment trial is] likely to end.&nbsp;... If it were today, I don't think there's any question&nbsp;— it would not lead to a removal."<ref>{{cite web |author=Levine, Marianne |date=November 5, 2019 |title=McConnell says Senate would acquit Trump if trial held today |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/05/mcconell-senate-acquit-trump-066103 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030221116/https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/05/mcconell-senate-acquit-trump-066103 |archive-date=October 30, 2020 |access-date=September 18, 2020 |work=[[Politico]]}}</ref>

On December 14, 2019, McConnell met with White House counsel [[Pat Cipollone]] and White House legislative affairs director [[Eric Ueland]]. Later that day, McConnell declared that for Trump's impeachment trial, he would be in "total coordination with the White House counsel's office" and Trump's representatives.<ref name="dictatetrial">{{cite news |last1=Blake |first1=Aaron |date=December 14, 2019 |title=McConnell indicates he'll let Trump's lawyers dictate Trump's impeachment trial |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/13/mcconnell-says-hell-let-trumps-white-house-dictate-trumps-impeachment-trial/ |url-status=live |access-date=December 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219124528/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/13/mcconnell-says-hell-let-trumps-white-house-dictate-trumps-impeachment-trial/ |archive-date=December 19, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Carney |first=Jordain |date=December 12, 2019 |title=McConnell says he'll be in 'total coordination' with White House on impeachment trial strategy |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/474399-mcconnell-says-hell-be-in-total-coordination-with-white-house-on-impeachment/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120195811/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/474399-mcconnell-says-hell-be-in-total-coordination-with-white-house-on-impeachment |archive-date=November 20, 2020 |access-date=December 20, 2019 |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]}}</ref> He also declared that there was "no chance" the Senate would convict Trump and remove him from office.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Egan |first1=Lauren |date=December 13, 2019 |title=McConnell: 'There's no chance' Trump is removed from office |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/mcconnell-there-s-no-chance-trump-removed-office-n1101286 |url-status=live |access-date=December 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215202600/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/mcconnell-there-s-no-chance-trump-removed-office-n1101286 |archive-date=December 15, 2019}}</ref>

On December 17, 2019, McConnell rejected a request to call four witnesses for Trump's impeachment trial because, according to McConnell, the Senate's role was to "act as judge and jury", not to investigate. Later that day, McConnell told the media: "I'm not an impartial juror [in this impeachment trial]. This is a political process. There's not anything judicial about it."<ref>{{cite news |author=Coogan, Steve |date=December 17, 2019 |title=Trump impeachment debate |work=[[USA Today]] |url=https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/2678381001 |url-status=live |access-date=December 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220140322/https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/2678381001 |archive-date=December 20, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Morgan |first1=David |last2=Cornwell |first2=Susan |date=December 17, 2019 |title=On eve of expected impeachment, Trump lashes out at Pelosi, Democrats |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-impeachment/top-senate-republican-opposes-demand-for-witnesses-in-trump-impeachment-trial-idUSKBN1YL15V?il=0 |url-status=live |access-date=December 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120195825/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-impeachment/top-senate-republican-opposes-demand-for-witnesses-in-trump-impeachment-trial-idUSKBN1YL15V?il=0 |archive-date=November 20, 2020}}</ref>

After Trump's acquittal, McConnell was noted for his ability to block witnesses, to secure Trump's acquittal, and to maintain party unity during the impeachment process. Commentators noted that McConnell had kept Republican senators "marching in lockstep" throughout the process.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bolton |first1=Alexander |date=February 7, 2020 |title=McConnell displays mastery of Senate with impeachment victory |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/481953-mcconnell-displays-mastery-of-senate-with-impeachment-victory/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217072734/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/481953-mcconnell-displays-mastery-of-senate-with-impeachment-victory |archive-date=February 17, 2020 |access-date=February 18, 2020 |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Cillizza |first1=Chris |date=January 31, 2020 |title=How Mitch McConnell pulled off a near-impossible impeachment feat |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/31/politics/mitch-mcconnell-donald-trump-senate-impeachment-trial/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218045052/https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/31/politics/mitch-mcconnell-donald-trump-senate-impeachment-trial/index.html |archive-date=February 18, 2020 |access-date=February 18, 2020 |website=[[CNN]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Fritze |first1=John |last2=Wu |first2=Nicholas |last3=Jackson |first3=David |title=Charm, patience and Twitter tactics: How Trump, McConnell kept GOP in line on impeachment |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/02/06/senate-impeachment-trial-how-trump-mcconnell-kept-gop-line/4669695002/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218072817/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/02/06/senate-impeachment-trial-how-trump-mcconnell-kept-gop-line/4669695002/ |archive-date=February 18, 2020 |access-date=February 18, 2020 |website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref>