Worrying numbers for the Democrats - only five Republicans on their side

The trial in the US Senate is scheduled to begin on February 9.

But as early as Tuesday, senators debated whether or not the process follows the constitution.

It was Republican Senator Rand Paul who wanted to push through a vote on it - but the proposal was voted down by 55 votes to 45.

Victory for the Republican

For Rand Paul, it was still a great victory.

For Donald Trump to be overthrown, at least 67 senators need to vote for it.

That means 17 Republican senators need to vote with the Democrats, and on Tuesday only five of them did so.

Other Republicans, including leader Mitch McConnell, wanted a vote on whether the entire trial could be a violation of the Constitution.

Afterwards, Rand Paul stated that this means that the entire Supreme Court process is now over before it has even begun.

- If you have voted for the whole process violating the constitution.

How can you go ahead and convict someone for that?

Almost all Republican senators, 95 percent, voted for the entire process violating the Constitution.

It is a great victory for us, he said according to CNN.

The experts agree

Republicans did not vote because the whole process was wrong.

They voted because they wanted a vote on it.

But it is not just politicians who disagree about the Supreme Court process.

US experts have also discussed whether it is possible to overthrow a president who has already resigned or not.

According to the Washington Post, the Republican senators had a lunch before the vote with law professor Jonathan Turley, who argues that it is not possible to hold the president accountable afterwards.

Other experts have argued that it must be possible to carry out a Supreme Court process even if the president has time to resign - so that presidents who make mistakes at the end of their term of office will not be able to escape.

The Supreme Court process can in that case lead to the president not being able to stand for re-election.

"The trial process is not just about removing a president, it is also about political consequences," said Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, who chose to vote with the Democrats, according to the AP.

Other Republicans have also stated that Tuesday's vote should not be seen as a result of how the vote will go during the Supreme Court process, according to AP.