Donald Trump becomes only US President to be impeached twice after Capitol riots

13 January 2021, 21:24 | Updated: 13 January 2021, 23:48

Donald Trump has made history after becoming the only US President in history to be impeached twice.

The House of Representatives voted 232 to 197 in favour of the article of impeachment, which declares Trump incited an insurrection against the government during the Capitol riots last week.

There were 10 Republican rebels who vote in favour of the impeachment, which has happened a week before Trump leaves the Oval Office.

A mob of his supporters stormed the historic building last week, breaking into the House of Representatives and forcing staff and elected representatives to barricade themselves in offices.

Read more: Donald Trump says lawbreaking and vandalism 'isn't what I stand for' after Capitol riots

Five people were killed in the riots - including one police officer - after Trump told his supporters to "fight harder" in a rally held outside the White House.

Trump had encouraged people to gather for his “Save America March” on the day Congress was certifying the election win of President-Elect Joe Biden, to further make unsubstantiated claims of election fraud.

Read more: What does impeachment mean for Donald Trump? What time is the vote?

Donald Trump has "unequivocally condemned" the Capitol riot last week and warned supporters against further violence - but refused to comment on the vote to impeach him for a second time.

In an address on the White House Youtube channel, the outgoing President said that mob violence "goes against everything I believe in" and that "no true supporter" of his would endorse it.

He also encouraged his fans to "think of ways to ease tensions, calm tempers and help promote peace" across the country.

Read more: Donald Trump 'unequivocally condemns' Capitol riot after impeachment vote

After the vote House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters that her colleagues from both parties had "demonstrated that no one is above the law - not even the President of the United States".

She said: "Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to our country. Once again we honour that oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help us God."

Ms Pelosi then signed the article of impeachment, described herself as "heartbroken over what this means to our country".

During the chaos that ensued, which included his own Vice President being forced to shelter in the building, Trump told those who were storming the Capitol that he "loved them", and "understood" why they were committing criminal acts.

An impeachment charge is a political accusation, not a criminal one.

Unlike the last impeachment, Trump has been silent on the matter, mostly because he was stripped of his beloved Twitter account after the platform permanently banned him for inciting violence.

The Impeachment does not necessarily mean that Trump has the presidency removed. The process will now move to the Senate for a trial where Senators will decide whether or not Mr Trump is convicted.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has refused to call the Senate back early, meaning a trial cannot take place until after Joe Biden's inauguration.

A spokesman for Mr McConnell after the impeachment vote said the leading Republican had informed Democrats that he would block their effort to quickly call the chamber back into an emergency session to put Mr Trump on trial.

With the date of a trial currently unknown, the Senate could vote to block Mr Trump from running for public office ever again, which would scupper his plans for being on the 2024 ballot.

He would also lose access to a wide range of public benefits that he would usually be entitled to, including his $200,000 annual pension, a $1 million annual travel stipend and extra funding for his future staff.

Trump become just the third sitting president in history to be impeached in December 2019, following in the footsteps of Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998.

The House of Representatives found then that Trump had withheld $400 million of military aid from Ukraine in order to coercing Kiev into digging up dirt on his political rival and Democrat nominee Joe Biden - who subsequently went on to win the election.