McConnell Says He Hasn't Decided Whether He'll Vote To Convict President Trump

In a letter to colleagues, McConnell did not explicitly deny reports saying that he was leading towards voting to convict Mr. Trump, but said he remained undecided.

"While the press has been full of speculation, I have not made a final decision on how I will vote and I intend to listen to the legal arguments when they are presented to the Senate," McConnell said, according to an excerpt of the letter obtained by CBS News. This is a marked departure from his perspective on the previous impeachment trial, in which he voted to acquit Mr. Trump.

If McConnell does vote to convict Mr. Trump, other Republicans are likely to follow his lead. Several GOP senators have suggested they would consider convicting Mr. Trump.

Read: House Impeaches President Trump For Historic 2nd Time

McConnell said in a statement released shortly after the House voted to impeach Mr. Trump that the Senate could not finish an impeachment trial before Mr. Biden takes office. He said that the focus of the next week before the inauguration should be on ensuring a smooth transition.

"The Senate process will now begin at our first regular meeting following receipt of the article from the House," McConnell said. The Senate is set to reconvene on January 19.

"In light of this reality, I believe it will best serve our nation if Congress and the executive branch spend the next seven days completely focused on facilitating a safe inauguration and an orderly transfer of power to the incoming Biden Administration," McConnell said.