With the outcome of the case, it is not the jury of the elders who will be the main accusers of the Democrats, but the public.
They hoped their case would be based on sight, with Mr. Trump’s tweets, responding to TV viewers.
In particular, they hoped it would “shock” Republican voters across the country, thus reducing the chances of Mr. Trump being able to return to politics in the future.
Prosecutors believed that was a better strategy than calling a march of live witnesses.
The videos, produced by an outside production company, will be played on screens in the Senate chamber and televised.
Mr. Trump’s lawyers also plan to use video in their presentation, showing Democratic politicians making inspirational speeches, along with images of mob violence in the country’s Democratic constituencies last summer.