The US House of Representatives has impeached President Donald Trump.
The House voted on two charges: that the president abused his power and that he had obstructed Congress.
As expected, both the Democrats and the Republicans voted along party lines, with the former voting for the charges and the latter against them.
The charge of abuse of power stems from Trump’s alleged attempt to pressure Ukraine to announce investigations into his Democratic political rival, Joe Biden.
The second charge was obstruction of Congress owing to the president’s refusal to cooperate with the impeachment inquiry, typified by withholding documentary evidence and barring his key aides from giving evidence.
The vote for the first article of impeachment, abuse of power, was passed 230–197, and the second, obstruction of Congress, 229–198.
President Trump was addressing a political rally in Michigan at the time the voting was taking place.
He told the cheering crowd:
“While we’re creating jobs and fighting for Michigan, the radical left in Congress is consumed with envy, hatred, and rage. You see what’s going on.”
The White House released a statement shortly after saying that the president was “confident that he will be fully exonerated” in a Senate trial.
Trump is the third president to be impeached in the nation’s history. Others were Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton.
The impeachment now moves to the Senate, which will either make or break Trump.
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According to the US Constitution, the Senate is given “the sole power to try all impeachments” and convict a president of “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanours”.
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