Trump insults Democrats, calls on followers to watch Fox News ahead of impeachment trial

President Trump on Saturday morning encouraged his followers on Twitter to watch his lawyers present his defense in the impeachment trial beginning at 10 a.m.

Trump encouraged people to watch the proceedings on Fox News and One America News while jabbing at CNN as “Fake News” and apparently mocking MSNBC as “MSDNC” — a likely reference to the Democratic Party.

Trump also hurled insults at lead House impeachment manager Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) as well as freshman Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), who has had not formal role on the Senate trial. 

He insulted Ocasio-Cortez as “dumb as a rock” and said she was the “leader” of the other Democrats.

“Our case against lyin’, cheatin’, liddle’ Adam “Shifty” Schiff, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, Nervous Nancy Pelosi, their leader, dumb as a rock AOC, & the entire Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrat Party, starts today at 10:00 A.M. on @FoxNews, @OANN or Fake News @CNN or Fake News MSDNC!” Trump tweeted less than half an hour before the proceedings were set to begin.

Over the past three days, House Democrats led by Schiff laid out in great detail their case for Trump’s removal from office, presenting evidence they argue clearly supports their allegation that Trump abused the power of his office to pressure Ukraine to announce investigations for his own personal and political benefit. 

The president has denied any wrongdoing, and his attorneys — led by White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Trump’s personal attorney Jay Sekulow — are poised to begin laying out their defense on Saturday.

Trump on Friday complained about the first day of the defense beginning on a Saturday, describing it as “Death Valley” in television. The attorneys are expected to present for a relatively brief period of two to three hours on Saturday before engaging in a more robust presentation when the Senate reconvenes on Monday.

Trump has nothing on his public schedule on Saturday and is likely to be watching the proceedings.