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

Michael van der Veen, a member of Trump's legal team, pointed the finger at President Joe Biden and Democratic lawmakers for what he called "inflammatory language." He said that Trump's words were "ordinary political rhetoric" and likened to Biden's campaign slogan, "Battle for the Soul of America."

"Consider the language that the House impeachment article alleges to constitute incitement: 'If you don't fight like hell, you are not going to have a country anymore.' This is ordinary political rhetoric that is virtually indistinguishable from the language that has been used by people across the political spectrum for hundreds of years. Countless politicians have spoken of fighting for our principles. Joe Biden's campaign slogan was 'battle for the soul of America,'" van der Veen said. "No human being seriously believes that the use of such metaphorical terminology is incitement to political violence."

Castor also pointed the finger at Democratic lawmakers, citing Democratic support for Black Lives Matter peaceful protesters over the summer, saying that the proceedings were political.

"In short, this unprecedented effort is not about Democrats opposing political violence. It is about Democrats trying to disqualify their political opposition," Castor said. "It is constitutional cancel-culture."

On Friday morning, Biden briefly weighed in on Trump's second impeachment trial, saying he's "anxious" to see the outcome.

"I'm anxious to see whether -- what my Republican friends do, if they stand up," Biden told reporters.

Biden, who had just finished taking a walk with first lady Jill Biden, added that he was not planning on speaking with any GOP senators on how they might vote. Some Republican senators did meet on Thursday evening with Trump's defense team.

-ABC News' Justin Gomez

The Senate has reconvened for Trump's second impeachment trial and will hear arguments from Trump's defense team Friday.

Senate Chaplain Barry Black first led the chamber in a prayer. Presiding officer Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., then led the group through the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the traditional "Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye!" proclamation from the Sergeant-at-Arms.

Trump's defense attorney Michael van der Veen, then took the Senate floor.

With the defense team expected to use only three or four hours of the 16 hours over two days allotted to them for opening arguments, the question and answer portion of the trial could begin as early as Friday afternoon.

Republican Sens. Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham and Mike Lee -- acting under oath as impartial jurors in the Senate impeachment trial -- met with Trump's defense team after House managers wrapped their arguments on Thursday.

Cruz, asked what was the purpose of the meeting with Trump legal team, said, "We were discussing their legal strategy and sharing our thoughts."

-ABC News' Trish Turner

Trump's second impeachment trial -- the first for a former president -- resumes Friday at noon with arguments from Trump's defense attorneys who are making their case that Trump is not guilty for incitement of insurrection.

The public should expect to see four attorneys on the Trump team: David Schoen, Bruce Castor, Michael van der Veen and Julieanne Bateman. They're expected to argue the trial is unconstitutional because Trump is no longer in office -- despite the Senate already voting to affirm it has the authority -- and that Trump's use of social media and comments made on Jan. 6 are protected by the First Amendment. They've also signaled they'll only use three or four hours of their allotted time.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who joined Democrats and five other Republicans in voting that the trial is constitutional -- changing his vote from an earlier motion on the issue -- said he hopes the defense team can explain the timeline of events and Trump's repeated assertions that the election was stolen.

House impeachment managers, over the past two days, argued that Trump spent months priming supporters to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6, in a last-ditch effort to overturn the election results after failed attempts to compel local, state and federal law enforcement and election officials to do so, and that he showed a "lack of remorse."

They also used never-before-seen Capitol security footage of senators, House members and former Vice President Mike Pence fleeing the chambers during the riot -- reminding lawmakers of when many of them were fearing for their lives.

Democrats would need at least 17 Republicans to side with them in order to convict Trump and bar him from federal office, but the majority of Republicans have already signaled they will vote to acquit, despite evidence of the attack showing several of them may have also been targets.