Trump must face impeachment trial
DONALD Trump is set to face only the third impeachment trial in American history after a historic vote in Washington yesterday.
The President was put on the spot as the House of Representatives moved to send two articles of impeachment to the Senate.
Mr Trump, 73, is charged with abuse of power after he allegedly threatened to withhold military aid from Ukraine to pressure it into investigating his Democratic rival Joe Biden.
He is also charged with obstructing Congress’ ensuing probe.
Addressing the House before the vote, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said: “We are here today to cross a very important threshold in American history.”
Earlier she had declared: “The president violated his oath of office, undermined our national security, jeopardised the integrity of our elections.”
The vote, which was 228193, comes at the start of the White House election year and a month after the House impeached Mr Trump.
The Senate is expected to transform into an impeachment court as early as today although no major proceedings will begin until next Tuesday.
It is only the third presidential impeachment trial in US history, following on from Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998. Both leaders were later acquitted.
Mr Trump is also expected to be acquitted, despite new evidence raising fresh questions about Ukraine, because of the Republicans’ majority in the Senate.
Speaking during an event at the White House the President called the charges a “hoax”.