Trump impeachment trial live updates: Biden says charge 'not in dispute' in 1st comments on acquittal

Sen. Lindsey Graham. R-S.C., told reporters he spoke to Trump Tuesday night and again Wednesday and that Trump didn't express anger to him about the performance of his legal team, but Graham said he told Trump that "his team will get better." 

Graham reassured Trump that "the case is over. It's just a matter of getting the final verdict now."

"Bottom line is I think his team will do better, can do better. I think (Schoen), did a pretty good job and bottom line is I reinforced to the president, the case is over," Graham said. "It's just a matter of getting the final verdict now."

Graham also offered his estimate of how many Senate Republicans he thinks will vote against conviction.

"I think the vote for 'not guilty' will probably grow beyond 44," Graham said.

-ABC News' Trish Turner

The Senate has returned from a roughly 15-minute break to resume opening arguments from the House impeachment managers.

As Trump faces an unprecedented second impeachment trial, here's how the impeachment process works.

2:30

How the impeachment process works What does it take to remove a president from office?

ABCNews.com

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., in helping to lay out opening arguments for House impeachment managers, said that Trump's conduct leading up to Jan. 6 was "deliberate, planned and premeditated," matching the criteria for prosecuting a violent crime.

"This was not one speech, not one tweet. It was dozens in rapid succession with the specific details," Swalwell said, displaying tweets and recordings. "In fact, when he had assembled his inflamed mob in D.C., he warned us that he knew what was coming."

"This was one of his dozens of statements on Twitter in the hours leading up to the attack, 'I hope the Democrats and even more importantly the weak and ineffective RINO section of the Republican party are looking at the thousands of people pouring into D.C. They won't stand for a landslide victory to be stolen. @Senatemajorityleader. @Johncornyn. @Senatejohnthune,'" Swawell said, appearing to look at those senators while he said their names. "He tags senators to pressure you to stop this."

"He built this mob over many months with repeated messaging until they believed that they had been robbed of their vote, and they would do anything to stop the certification," Swalwell continued. "He made them believe that their victory was stolen and incited them so he could use them to steal the election for himself."

Swalwell, attempting to appeal to Republican senators, also made a point to say Trump's actions were different than those senators in the room who raised election concerns.