Former President Trump hasn't made a final decision on his legal team days out from his impeachment trial starting, his adviser Jason Miller said Saturday after it emerged he'd lost at least two lead defense attorneys.
Why it matters: With Trump's second impeachment trial due to begin on Feb. 9, it is unclear who will take the lead now South Carolina lawyers Butch Bowers and Deborah Barbier have left the team.
- Another attorney, Josh Howard, "who had been reported as joining the effort but who was never confirmed by Trump advisers publicly, is also not on the team," notes the New York Times' Maggie Haberman.
- "Trump wanted the attorneys to argue there was mass election fraud and it was stolen from him rather than focus on proposed arguments about constitutionality," tweeted CNN's Kaitlan Collins, who first reported news of the departure of Bowers and Barbier and also reported on Howard.
What they're saying: The departure decision on Bowers and Barbier was mutual, a Trump adviser told CBS News.
- Miller said in a statement Democrats' efforts to impeach a president who has already left office is "totally unconstitutional" and "so bad for our country."
- "In fact, 45 Senators have already voted that is unconstitutional," he added. "We have done much work, but have not made a final decision on our legal team, which will be made shortly."
Of note: Trump was impeached earlier this month for "incitement of insurrection," becoming the only president in history to have been impeached twice.
Go deeper: Most Senate Republicans join bid to dismiss Trump's 2nd impeachment trial
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
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