Trump gloats on impeachment acquittal, ripping rivals

WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES - FEBRUARY 06: U.S. President Donald Trump boasted Thursday of his Senate impeachment acquittal, praising his political "warriors" while tearing into opponents. "They brought me to the final stages of impeachment. But now we have that gorgeous word. I never thought a word would sound so good. It’s called ‘total acquittal,’” Trump said during a lengthy East Room ceremony, using a phrase rather than a single word. "We can never, ever allow this to happen again." "This was a highly partisan situation," he said. Members of the media were not allowed to be seated at the open press event. Seats were instead filled with pro-Trump members of Congress, Cabinet secretaries, and members of the Trump family. The president repeatedly singled out members of Congress who defended him during the months-long impeachment process, asking them to stand to repeated applause. But as he lifted up what he said are his "great warriors," Trump continued to lay into his political opponents after doing so earlier Thursday during the typically nonpartisan National Prayer Breakfast. He continued his offensive against Senator Mitt Romney, the sole Republican to vote to convict the president on one of the two impeachment articles he faced. “And then you have some that used religion as a crutch. They never used it before," Trump said, referring to the Utah senator who said he voted in favor of Trump's removal, in part, because he felt his faith required him to do so. "But you know it’s a failed presidential candidate so things can happen when you fail so badly running for president." Romney ran an unsuccessful campaign against former President Barack Obama in 2012. Trump further took aim at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying she wanted to impeach him "from day one" while questioning statements in which she has repeatedly said she prays for the president. (Footage by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)