Trump impeached after House passes historic vote
Donald Trump has been impeached by the House of Representatives – a humiliating rebuke handed down to only three American presidents in history.
Amid dramatic scenes on Capitol Hill, Democrats reached the 216 simple majority – four seats are vacant – required to impeach him of abusing his position as president.
While it is likely Republicans in the Senate will vote against the measure, allowing Mr Trump to remain in office, the move nevertheless marked a rare and grave milestone in the nation’s frequently high-stakes political history.
House speaker Nancy Pelosi, opening six hours of speeches by Republican and Democratic legislators, said: “I solemnly and sadly open the debate on impeachment of the president of the United States. If we do not act now, we would be derelict in our duty.
“It is a matter of fact that the president is an ongoing threat to our national security and the integrity of our elections, which is the basis of our democracy.”
The president delivered his verdict even before the votes were tallied.
“Can you believe that I will be impeached today by the Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats, AND I DID NOTHING WRONG!,” he tweeted.
Later, as he prepared to travel to the battleground state of Michigan to headline a reelection rally, he broke his apparent plan not to watch the proceedings, writing: “SUCH ATROCIOUS LIES BY THE RADICAL LEFT, DO NOTHING DEMOCRATS. THIS IS AN ASSAULT ON AMERICA, AND AN ASSAULT ON THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.”
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