It’s official: Donald Trump becomes first US President impeached twice by House

January 14, 2021

US President Donald Trump, just days from the end of his presidency, has been impeached for the second time in the US House of Representatives. 

The Democrat-led House today voted to approve an impeachment article accusing Trump of the single charge of "incitement of insurrection". The House voted 232-197 to impeach Trump. 

Ten Republicans joined the Democrats in voting to impeach the President. 

Ahead of the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged Republicans and Democrats to "search their souls", saying Trump “must go”.

Trump’s been rebuked over his role in inciting the deadly riots at the Capitol.

“He [Trump] is a clear and present danger to the nation we all love,” she said.

But Trump’s actual removal would be unlikely before Biden’s inauguration on January 20, with the Senate still adjourned. To reconvene Senate, all 100 of its members would need to unanimously agree to do so. 

But a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said earlier he wouldn’t agree to bring the Senate back immediately. That’s despite McConnell acknowledging in a letter he had not made up his mind about whether Trump should be convicted.

Only the Senate can try the impeachment, and ultimately remove someone from office if a conviction is successful. The US Constitution requires a two-thirds vote of the Senate to convict.

The Senate is not due to meet until January 19 — one day before the inauguration. Trump cannot be removed from office after that. However, it would be possible for the Senate to madate that he never hold public office again. 

It comes one week after a pro-Trump mob descended upon the US Capitol. The riot killed five people, including an on duty police officer.

Just before the riot, Trump continued his baseless accusations of voter fraud and urged his supporters to march to the Capitol while lawmakers inside were counting Electoral College votes to certify that Joe Biden had won the presidency.

Trump took no responsibility for the riot. 

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