US President Donald Trump holds his famous red cap, a symbol of the rising right. Michael Reynolds/EPA-EFE
United States President Donald Trump has been impeached for “abuse of power”.
After a 230 to 197 vote in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, he became just the third American president to be impeached. Andrew Johnson in 1868, and Bill Clinton in 1998, the two other presidents impeached, weren’t convicted in the Senate. A trial in the Senate early next year now awaits Trump.
The House voted on two charges – that Trump obstructed Congress and that he abused his power.
“What is at risk here is the very idea of America,” said Adam Schiff, the lawmaker who led the impeachment inquiry, before the vote.
Most believe Trump will be cleared by Senate Republicans. Should that happen, it is felt it could be a major boost for Trump in the run-up to the November 2020 election. But he also could be removed from the White House.
“They’ve been trying to impeach me from day one,” said a typically defiant Trump. “They’ve been trying to impeach me from before I ran.”
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