I have the right to speak, the freedom of speech: Trump

Washington, November 16

Amid the ongoing impeachment hearings against him by a Democrats-dominated Congressional panel, US President Donald Trump has asserted that he has the right to speak and the freedom of speech.

The President made the assertion while accusing the opposition Democratic Party of denying the Republicans the due process in the House-initiated impeachment proceedings against him.

“In the history of our country, there has never been a disgrace like what’s going on right now. So, you know what, I have the right to speak. I have the freedom of speech just as other people do have. But they (Democrats) have taken away the Republicans’ rights (to ask questions),” Trump told reporters in a media interaction at the White House.

The President said he watched the second-day public hearing on impeachment against him by the Congressional Committee.

“I watched today as certain very talented (Republican) people wanted to ask questions. They weren’t even allowed to ask questions. Republicans weren’t allowed to ask questions, it’s a very sad thing,” said the President.

Trump was referring to the ongoing deposition by former US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which on Thursday held its second public impeachment hearing against him.

“I just want to have a total...I want freedom of speech. That’s a political process. The Republicans have been treated very badly. I watched a little bit of it today. I wasn’t able to yesterday because we had the President of Turkey here and I wasn’t able to watch much. I watched some of it this morning,” he said. PTI