This archive report was first published on 19 December 2019.
On December 18, 2019, the US House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump, marking the third time in history a sitting president has faced such a charge.
The House voted on two charges: that the president abused his power and that he had obstructed Congress. Nearly all Democrats voted for the charges, while every Republican opposed them.
President Trump's Republicans control the Senate, making it highly unlikely he will be removed from power. The Senate is set to hold a trial in the New Year, with Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell expected to decide the rules for the trial and which witnesses will testify.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi indicated that the House might delay sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate, citing concerns over the fairness of the trial. The White House released a statement saying that President Trump was 'confident that he will be fully exonerated' in a Senate trial.
As voting took place in the House, President Trump was addressing a campaign rally in Battle Creek, Michigan, telling a cheering crowd: 'While we're creating jobs and fighting for Michigan, the radical left in Congress is consumed with envy and hatred and rage, you see what's going on.'
