Cheered on by loyalists, President Donald Trump did not hold back as he celebrated the end of his impeachment saga on Thursday with a mix of expletives and insults for his opponents and praise for the supporters who stuck with him.
This report produced by Zachary Goelman.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday addressed the nation from the White House in the wake of his impeachment trial and subsequent acquittal.
Trump decried what he saw as an effort to undermine his presidency that originated before he set foot in the White House.
(UPSOUND) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "And it never really stopped.
We've been going through this now for over three years.
It was evil.
It was corrupt.
It was dirty cops." The remarks came a day after the Republican-controlled Senate voted to acquit Trump of charges he'd abused his office and obstructed Congress.
The House of Representatives voted on articles impeaching the president for allegedly soliciting foreign election interference and then trying to cover up the scheme.
He is just the third president impeached in U.S. history.
(UPSOUND) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "And this should never, ever happen to another president, ever." And he ran through a list of his perceived political enemies, like a conqueror enumerating foes both vanquished and still standing.
(UPSOUND) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "Had I not fired James Comey, who is a disaster, by the way, it's possible I wouldn't even be standing here right now.
[FLASH] Hillary Clinton [FLASH] A corrupt politician named Adam Schiff [FLASH] Nancy Pelosi is a horrible person." He praised allies who stuck by him as though they were soldiers in what he called a war.
(UPSOUND) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "Today is a day to celebrate these great warriors, right?" And he castigated a man he believed betrayed him: Republican senator and former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who voted to convict Trump for abuse of office.
(UPSOUND) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "And the only one that voted against was a guy that can't stand the fact that he ran one of the worst campaigns in the history of the presidency." He crowed about the gains on the stock market and the strength of the U.S. economy.
The remarks resembled more than anything a campaign speech.
And the message appears to be that every event is now part of an effort at re-election in November.