Trump news: Republicans turn on president for suggesting dead congressman is in hell as Pelosi reveals shock decision on impeachment articles
Donald Trump has been impeached by the House of Representatives, making him just the third president in American history to receive such a rebuke.
The House, voting largely upon party lines, charged him on Wednesday night after hours of debate with abusing the power of his office in attempting to extort a political favour from Ukraine and obstructing the subsequent congressional investigation into his conduct. Just as votes were cast, Mr Trump began a rally of his in Michigan, where he mocked the proceedings against him, and the Democrats behind the effort.
Reacting to the news on Thursday morning, President Trump’s former adviser Anthony Scaramucci described him as “a lawless criminal” whose removal from office would “be like the Night King being killed in Game of Thrones”, calling on the Senate GOP to ensure he faces a fair trial when Congress reconvenes in the new year.
The historic vote split along party lines Wednesday night, much the way it has divided the nation, over a charge that the 45th president abused the power of his office by enlisting a foreign government to investigate a political rival ahead of the 2020 election.
The House then approved a second charge, that he obstructed Congress in its investigation.
The articles of impeachment, the political equivalent of an indictment, now go to the Senate for trial. If Mr Trump is acquitted by the Republican-led chamber, as expected, he still would have to run for re-election carrying the enduring stain of impeachment on his purposely disruptive presidency.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi threw a bit of uncertainty into the process Wednesday night by declining to say when, or even whether, she would send the charges to the Senate.
Mr Trump tweeted Thursday that the Senate should just go ahead and the Democrats “would lose by default,” but the trial cannot begin until the articles are delivered.
“The president is impeached,” MS Pelosi declared after the vote. She called it “great day for the Constitution of the United States, a sad one for America that the president’s reckless activities necessitated us having to introduce articles of impeachment".
The votes for impeachment were 230-197-1 on the first charge, 229-198-1 on the second.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Please allow a moment for our live blog to load.
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