Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on Tuesday that he has enough Republican votes to start the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump without the support of Democrats, who have been demanding witness testimony.

“We have the votes once the impeachment trial has begun to pass a resolution — essentially the same as, very similar to, the 100-to-nothing vote in the Clinton trial,” McConnell told reporters.

The announcement by McConnell means that once Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calf., transmits the two articles of impeachment against Trump — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — the trial would begin. Under the rules announced by McConnell, the question of whether witnesses would be called would be dealt later in the trial.

The first phase of the trial would include “arguments from prosecution, arguments from defense” and a “period of written questions” submitted by Republican and Democratic senators, McConnell said.

Only after that phase would “the issue of calling witnesses” be addressed, as it was during President Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial 20 years ago.

“That will be addressed at that time and not before the trial begins,” he said. The trial cannot get underway until Pelosi transmits the articles to the Senate.

McConnell has said all throughout the House impeachment process that he wants the Senate trial to follow the precedent set in 1999 Clinton trial. Then, there was a two-step process: An initial agreement to first hear the prosecution and then the defense arguments, and, later, a vote on whether to have witnesses.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has said repeatedly that he wanted an single Senate resolution at the start that would both set the parameters for the trial and allow for the calling of new witnesses. Potential witnesses sought by the Democrats include former national security adviser John Bolton (who said Monday he would be willing to testify if subpoenaed) and acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.