Michael J Stern: Trump could sway impeachment result

Former US President Donald Trump continues to have a lot of power in the Republican party and could run for office again if he is not convicted, an ex-prosecutor for the US Justice Department Michael J Stern has said.

He told BBC World News: "He is still the puppeteer and he is still pulling the strings and the House minority leader Kevin McCarthy went down to Mar-a-Lago recently to meet with him after Trump left office.

"That tells you that Trump still continues to have a lot of power in the Republican party and based on that power he is going to be able to manipulate the way the impeachment proceeding goes at least from the Republican perspective."

Mr Trump's legal team has called the trial "absurd and unconstitutional" on the basis that he has already left office.

Find out more about former US President Donald Trump's impeachment