WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's impeachment trial entered into the next phase on Wednesday as senators began posing questions to House impeachment managers and the president's defense team.
Senators, who act as the jury and cannot speak in the impeachment trial, have to submit their questions in writing to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell or Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, according to rules.
McConnell and Schumer will submit the questions to presiding Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who will announce the name of the questioner and read each question out loud.
Roberts will alternate questions from Republicans and Democrats and has requested that answers be limited to five minutes.
Both sides will have a total of 16 hours to answer questions over two days, beginning Wednesday afternoon.
When the questions-and-answers session is done, the Senate's trial rules dictate there will be four hours of debate and then a vote on whether the Senate should seek witnesses and documents,
If the Senate defeats that resolution, the trial is likely to head to a quick acquittal.
The questions-and-answers session came after Trump's legal team wrapped up its opening arguments Tuesday. The House managers presented their impeachment case against Trump last week.
The Democrat-led House impeached Trump last month for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, charges the White House has refuted.
