Senate votes to continue with impeachment of Donald Trump over US Capitol attack

The detailed and emotional presentation by Democrats was followed by meandering and occasionally confrontational arguments from the Trump defence team

The US Senate has voted that it is allowed to try Donald Trump for insurrection even though he has left office (Alex Brandon/AP)

Donald Trump lost a key opening battle on the first day of his impeachment trial, with the US Senate voting that it is allowed to try him even though he has left office.

The trial opened in the Senate with graphic video of the deadly January 6 attack on Congress, with the former president shown in footage as he whipped up a rally crowd to march to the Capitol and told them to “fight like hell” to overturn his election loss to Joe Biden.