By Miya Tanaka,
U.S. President Donald Trump was impeached Wednesday for an unprecedented second time, facing blame for inciting an insurrection over his election loss that culminated in a deadly riot in the Capitol last week.
The impeachment resolution passed the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives with a 232-197 vote, with 10 Republicans breaking ranks to support it. The move took place just a week before the 74-year-old Republican president's term will end.
The case will be sent to the Senate for a trial to decide whether to remove Trump from office. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, however, will not reconvene the Senate for the trial before Democrat Joe Biden is sworn in as president on Jan. 20, citing precedents and rules.
But a trial, even after Trump's departure from office, could be meaningful for Democrats and some Republicans as the impeachment process can open up the possibility of stripping him of his qualification to run in the next presidential election in 2024.
Trump was first impeached in December 2019, charged with abusing the power of his office and obstructing Congress over his dealings with Ukraine that were seen to have been aimed at boosting his re-election bid. He was later acquitted in the Republican-controlled Senate.
The charge Trump faces this time is "incitement of insurrection." He has so far refused to accept any blame over his role in inciting the attack on the Capitol.
In a video message posted on the White House Twitter account later Wednesday, the president did not mention his latest impeachment but emphasized that he "unequivocally" condemns last week's violence.
He also called for tempers to be calmed amid concerns of further armed demonstrations in Washington and across the country in the days leading up to Biden's inauguration.
"No true supporter of mine could ever threaten or harass their fellow Americans. If you do any of these things you are not supporting our movement, you're attacking it, and you are attacking our country," he said in a restrained tone.
On Jan. 6, a pro-Trump mob, including many who were armed, swarmed the Capitol while Congress was engaged in a process to certify Biden's win in the November election. Intruders violently clashed with police, smashed windows and ransacked offices.
Earlier that day, Trump had spoken to thousands of his supporters in Washington, reiterating his baseless claims of election fraud and urging the crowd to march to the Capitol and "fight like hell" to prevent their country from being taken over "illegally."
The impeachment resolution drafted by the Democrats charges Trump with making statements that, in context, "encouraged and -- foreseeably resulted in -- lawless action at the Capitol."
Noting that Trump also pressured a top election official in Georgia to "find" enough votes to overturn the state's election results during their phone call on Jan. 2, the resolution concludes that Trump "gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of government."
"He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coequal branch of government," it adds.
During the debate in the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, denounced Trump for being a "clear and present danger" to the United States and said the insurrectionists were "domestic terrorists" sent to the Capitol building by the president.
"I believe the president must be convicted by the Senate, a constitutional remedy that will ensure that the republic will be safe from this man who was so resolutely determined to tear down the things that we hold dear," she said.
In a sign of Trump's weakening clout, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Trump ally, acknowledged that Trump "bears responsibility" for the Capitol attack. But he did not go so far as voting in favor of impeaching the president.
Many Republicans, meanwhile, criticized the Democrats for rushing to impeach the president, a process that would normally take months, and argued that it will only fan the flames of unrest in the deeply divided country.
Five people died in the riot, including a police officer and a fervent Trump supporter who was fatally shot by police inside the Capitol as protesters were forcing their way toward an area where Congress members were sheltering.
Trump is the third president in U.S. history to be impeached after Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998. Neither was removed from office, as the Senate acquitted them.
Richard Nixon, facing likely impeachment for his role in covering up the Watergate political scandal, resigned in 1974 before the House could vote on the articles of impeachment against him.
The following is a chronology of major events under U.S. President Donald Trump's administration.
Jan. 20, 2017 -- Trump is sworn in as U.S. president.
Jan. 27 -- Trump signs order for travel ban from seven Muslim-majority nations.
Jan. 30 -- Trump notifies member countries of U.S. withdrawal from Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal.
June 1 -- Trump announces U.S. exit from Paris climate pact.
Dec. 6 -- Trump announces recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel.
May 8, 2018 -- Trump announces U.S. withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal.
June 12 -- Trump meets North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, the first-ever summit between the two countries.
Feb. 1, 2019 -- Trump says U.S. is withdrawing from Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia.
June 30 -- Trump becomes first sitting U.S. president to step into North Korea as he meets Kim at the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas.
Oct. 7 -- U.S., Japan sign trade deal at White House.
Dec. 18 -- U.S. House of Representatives impeaches Trump for allegedly pressuring Ukraine leader to investigate political rival Joe Biden.
Jan. 3, 2020 -- U.S. military kills top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in airstrike in Iraq.
Jan. 15 -- U.S., China sign partial trade deal at White House.
Feb. 5 -- Trump acquitted in impeachment trial in Senate.
March 13 -- Trump declares national emergency over outbreak of novel coronavirus.
May 25 -- Black man George Floyd dies in police custody in Minnesota, sparking nationwide anti-racism protests.
July 7 -- U.S. says it has notified United Nations of its withdrawal from World Health Organization.
July 14 -- Trump signs order to end U.S. preferential treatment for Hong Kong.
Aug. 9 -- U.S. health secretary travels to Taiwan, highest-level visit by U.S. Cabinet official in four decades.
Sept. 15 -- Israel signs U.S.-brokered deals to normalize bilateral ties with United Arab Emirates, Bahrain at White House.
Oct. 2 -- Trump says he is infected with coronavirus.
Nov. 3 -- U.S. presidential election held.
Dec. 14 -- Democratic presidential candidate Biden's win affirmed through Electoral College vote in each state.
Jan. 6, 2021 -- Pro-Trump mob storms U.S. Capitol, leaving five dead.
Jan. 7 -- Congress certifies election results.
Jan. 8 -- Trump's Twitter account permanently suspended.
Jan. 13 -- U.S. House impeaches Trump for allegedly inciting insurrection.
