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Members of the House of Representatives vote on impeachment on Wednesday.

Lawmakers Vote to Impeach President Trump

The House of Representatives has charged the president with promoting violence at the Capitol last week.

January 13, 2021
By Laura Anastasia

On Wednesday, January 13, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump. Impeachment is the first step in a process that can result in a president’s removal from office. 

What led to this major decision by the House? And what will happen next? Here’s what you need to know to understand the situation. 

What is impeachment? 

Impeachment takes place when the House of Representatives charges the president or another U.S. government official with breaking the law or behaving improperly (for example, purposely endangering the country or using his or her position for personal benefit).

Only the House can impeach someone. If U.S. representatives believe a president or another official has done something wrong, they write up one or more formal charges. These are called articles of impeachment. Then all 435 members of the House vote on each article. If more than half of the representatives support any article, the person is impeached. 

Why do we have impeachment?

The Framers of the Constitution wanted to make sure presidents wouldn’t abuse their power. Before the American Revolution (1775-1783), the colonists had been ruled harshly by the king of England. They were worried about giving one person too much power. So they divided the federal government into three branches that each have the ability to check, or limit, one another’s power (see “A Balance of Power,” below). 

The power of impeachment was given to Congress, which makes up the legislative branch of government. Trump’s impeachment represents a check on the executive branch, which includes the president and people under the president who carry out federal laws. Congress has impeached only three presidents in U.S. history—including Trump in 2019. None were convicted (found guilty).  

Shutterstock.com (legislative, executive); iStockPhoto/Getty Images (judicial)

Why was President Trump impeached a second time? 

The House charged Trump with “inciting violence against the government of the United States.” The article of impeachment says the president encouraged the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6. On that day, Congress was meeting at the Capitol to officially declare the winner of the 2020 presidential election. Nearby, Trump spoke at a protest rally. During his speech, Trump claimed the election was unfair and urged his supporters to walk to the Capitol while lawmakers were meeting. The article of impeachment notes that he told them, “If you don’t fight . . . you’re not going to have a country anymore.”

After Trump’s speech, thousands of his supporters surrounded the Capitol. They pushed past police and broke into the building, smashing windows and stealing government property. Vice President Mike Pence and members of Congress had to be evacuated for their safety. More than a dozen police officers were injured, and one later died of his injuries. One rioter was shot and later died. Dozens of people have been arrested for their involvement in the riot. 

Trump says he is not guilty of the charge against him. He has stated that his speech was “totally appropriate.”  

Does being impeached mean President Trump will automatically be removed from office?

No. Trump has been formally accused of doing something wrong. He would be removed from office only if he is found guilty. Under the Constitution, an impeached president must face trial in the U.S. Senate. Lawmakers from the House of Representatives present the case against the president. The president’s personal lawyers defend him or her. The senators act as the jury. If at least two-thirds of the Senate—67 senators out of 100—vote that the president is guilty, he or she is removed from office and is no longer president. If he or she is found not guilty, the president can finish out the term. 

What will happen next?

Experts say it is unlikely that Trump’s impeachment trial will begin before his presidential term ends on January 20. On that day, Inauguration Day, former Vice President Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th U.S. president. 

So what was the point of impeaching Trump if his presidency is almost over? The majority of representatives in the House, including all Democrats and a small group of Republicans, say it is important to hold him accountable for his actions. If Trump is found guilty, the Senate could also vote to prevent him from ever holding office again. (He is said to be considering another presidential run in 2024.)  

Still, the trial’s outcome is uncertain, experts say. Two-thirds of senators would need to agree that Trump is guilty for him to be convicted. Some senators have spoken out against putting Trump on trial—especially if it takes place after his term has ended. They say the country is already divided enough and convicting Trump would only make the situation worse. But other senators say it is crucial to send a clear message to Trump, future U.S. presidents, and the rest of the world that actions by a president to encourage violence will not be tolerated.

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Government and Politics
Congress

(n) the lawmaking body of the U.S. government, made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives

 

One of Congress’s main responsibilities is to write the nation’s laws.
executive branch

(n) the branch of government responsible for enforcing laws. In the United States, the president, vice president, and the Cabinet make up the executive branch.

 

The executive branch is led by the U.S. president and includes agencies such as the departments of Defense, Justice, and Education.
impeach

(v) to formally charge a public official with breaking the law or behaving improperly

 

Three U.S. presidents have been impeached, but none were found guilty, so they remained in office
Framers

(n) people who helped write the U.S. Constitution

 

Only 39 of the 55 Framers who attended the meetings to write the Constitution actually signed the document.
inauguration

(n) the ceremonial beginning of something, such as a term of office

 

She was sworn in as mayor during her inauguration at City Hall.
inciting

(v) encouraging people to do something violent or illegal

 

Ben incited the fight by insulting others and daring them to hit him.
Senate

(n) one of the two chambers of the U.S. Congress; its 100 members serve six-year terms

 

Each state elects two people to the U.S. Senate.
federal

(adj) relating to the national government

 

My brother became old enough to vote this year, so he needed to learn about the candidates for local, state, and federal elections.
Capitol

(n) the building where the U.S. Congress meets in Washington, D.C.

 

Construction of the Capitol began in 1793, and today it contains more than 500 rooms.
House of Representatives

(n) one of the two chambers of the U.S. Congress; its 435 members serve two-year terms

 

The number of lawmakers who represent each state in the House of Representatives is based on population.
convicted

(v) found someone guilty, such as in a court of law

 

The jury reviewed the evidence before deciding to convict the woman of murder.
legislative branch

(n) the branch of government responsible for writing laws, among other things. In the United States, Congress is the legislative branch.

 

The U.S. Constitution spells out the powers and responsibilities of Congress, the legislative branch of our national government.
Constitution

(n) the official document that spells out the structure, powers, and duties of the U.S. government

 

Under the U.S. Constitution, the government is divided into three branches.
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