This archive report was first published on 19 December 2019.
Donald Trump Impeached by US House of Representatives ¶
On December 19, 2019, the US House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump, marking the third time in US history that a president has faced impeachment.
The impeachment was sparked by allegations that Trump used his public office to coerce a foreign government into attacking his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden.
Trump was accused of pressuring Ukraine to open an investigation into Biden's son, Hunter Biden, and of obstructing Congress's investigation into his dealings with Ukraine.
The House of Representatives voted 230-197 in favor of removing Trump from office on the first article of impeachment, abuse of power, and 229-198 in favor of removing him on the second article, obstruction of Congress.
Trump's impeachment is now set to go to the Senate, where a two-thirds majority is required to convict and remove him from office.
Despite the impeachment, Trump remains in office until his trial in the Senate, where he is expected to be acquitted due to the Republican majority in the chamber.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi described Trump as an ongoing threat to America's national security and the integrity of the US elections, stating that he gave Democrats no choice but to pursue impeachment.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing, claiming that he did nothing to warrant an impeachment and that the charges against him are a result of a Democratic-led effort to remove him from office.
