This archive report was first published on 2 December 2019.
On December 2, 2019, the White House issued a letter stating that President Trump's lawyers would not participate in the upcoming impeachment hearing.
The move has left the president's defense uncertain, with some of his allies stepping in to represent him.
Representative Val Demings, a Democrat from Florida, expressed hope that the president and his counsel would take advantage of the opportunity to defend themselves if they had not done anything wrong.
However, the White House's decision not to participate in the hearing has raised questions about the legitimacy of the process.
Representative Doug Collins, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, questioned the need for the White House to participate in 'just another rerun.'
