Trump impeached!

Trump impeached!

Donald Trump on Wednesday became the third U.S. president in the 245-year history of the United States to be impeached as the House of Representatives formally charged him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, as Reuters reports, "in a historic step that will inflame partisan tensions across a deeply divided America".

The lower house of Congress, which is dominated by Democrats, passed a motion to impeach Trump along the party line.

The abuse of power article was passed on a 230-197 vote and the obstruction article was passed 229-198.

Democrats have accused Trump of abusing his position when he asked Ukraine to investigate former US Vice President Joe Biden, one of the favourites to win the Democratic presidential nomination. The US president has also been accused of obstructing a Congressional inquiry into the matter.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi briefly addressed the public at the conclusion of the vote, saying that "December 18th is a 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". Pelosi thanked Judiciary Committee Chairman Gerald Nadler and Judiciary Committee Chairman Adam Schiff for conducting the investigation and drafting the Trump impeachment, as well as all Democrats who voted for the recall.

"I could not be prouder or more inspired by the moral courage of the House Democrats,” she said. “We never asked one of them how they were going to vote. We never whipped this vote”, Pelosi said. While voting in the House of Representatives, Trump spoke at a rally in Michigan at which he said the impeachment process was a "political suicide march" for the Democratic Party.

"With today’s illegal unconstitutional and partisan impeachment, the do-nothing Democrats are declaring their deep hatred and disdain for the American voter", Trump said.

Shortly after the vote was over, he strongly criticized the Democrats' move. 

"After three years of sinister witch hunts, hoaxes, scams, the House Democrats are trying to nullify the ballots of tens of millions of patriotic Americans", he said.

Trump's impeachment does not mean his removal from office - it will be decided at a Senate trial next month. No president in 243-year history has been dismissed despite the impeachment.

That requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate, meaning at least 20 Republicans would have to vote against Trump along with Democrats.

No Republican senator has indicated that he will do so, so it is certain that Trump will remain in office.