Impeachment How the process will unfold

What happens next in impeachment? The House of Representatives has voted to impeach Donald Trump on two charges – abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

It now has to formally transmit those charges to the Senate, which will carry out a trial.

However, Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat House Speaker, right, has delayed transmission of the articles.

She will not do so until she knows more about how Republicans, who are in the majority in the Senate, plan to conduct the trial. Mitch McConnell, below right, the Republican leader in the Senate, has said they are at an “impasse”.

So when will the trial start? Seemingly, in the new year. On Friday, Congress started recess, leaving impeachment in limbo. Democrats have proposed that proceedings start in the Senate on Jan 6. The Democrats will then appoint impeachment “managers” to prosecute the case in the Senate. But there may be some further wrangling over the format.

What is the disagreement over the format of the trial?

The main stumbling block is over witnesses. Democrats want to call key White House officials including Mick Mulvaney, Mr Trump’s acting chief of staff, and John Bolton, his former national security adviser.

Republicans are reluctant to allow this to happen however.

Mr McConnell wants there to be no witnesses allowed at all. Other Republicans want to be able to call Joe

Biden, his son Hunter, and the anonymous whistleblower who started the whole impeachment ball rolling.

What will happen in the trial? Once the witness issue is agreed the 100 US senators – currently 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats, and two Independents who vote with the Democrats – will sit as a jury. John Roberts, chief justice of the US Supreme Court, will preside as the judge.

A two thirds majority – 67 senators

– is required to convict Mr Trump.

Will Mr Trump give evidence? Mr Trump has suggested he might, but it seems unlikely.

Neither of the other two presidents to face trial – Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton – did so.

He will be represented by White House counsel Pat Cipollone.

Will Mr Trump be convicted and removed from office?

No. Barring unforeseen events at least the vast majority of Republican senators are expected to vote to acquit the president.