Washington: A combative President Donald Trump celebrated his acquittal in the gruelling impeachment trial by launching a tirade against the Democrats, saying, "they want to destroy our country." A day after he was acquitted by the ruling Republican Party-controlled Senate on the two impeachment charges ¿ abuse of power and obstruction to Congress ¿ Trump appeared confident, energetic and combative as ever against his opponents. "It's a celebration," Trump said of the event, attended by top Republican politicians, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as well as the members of the Cabinet and the legal team that defended him in the Senate trial.

"We went through hell, unfairly, did nothing wrong, did nothing wrong. I've done things wrong in my life, I will admit," Trump said in the East Room of the White House on Thursday. "This is really not a news conference. It's not a speech. It's not anything. It's just we're sort of -- it's a celebration because we have something that just worked out. I mean it worked out," the 73-year-old president said. In his speech that lasted for over an hour, Trump said, "Now we have that gorgeous word. I never thought it would sound so good." "It's called 'total acquittal'." "They want to destroy our country," Trump said of the Democrats. Trump was impeached by the Democratic Party-led House of Representatives in December for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, but was acquitted on Wednesday after a two-week trial in the Senate.