Donald Trump, the 45th and 47th president of the United States, was impeached twice by the House of Representatives while he served as president: first in December 2019 and again in January 2021. He is the only U.S. president to have been impeached twice. Impeachment by the House is a formal charge that can lead to a trial in the Senate, which determines whether to remove an official from office. In both impeachments against Trump, the Senate did not vote to remove him from office. This explainer clarifies the facts of each impeachment, the constitutional process, and the outcomes.
What is impeachment and how does it work?
Impeachment is a constitutional process, not a criminal penalty. The House of Representatives has the sole power to impeach (formally accuse), and the Senate has the sole power to try the impeachment and remove an official from office. Impeachment applies to presidents, vice presidents, and other civil officers of the United States for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. Conviction in the Senate requires a two-thirds vote. Impeachment does not bar later criminal or civil accountability; it is a political process focused on removal from office and, optionally, disqualification from future office.
First impeachment of Donald Trump (2019)
Background and charges
The first impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump was launched by the House of Representatives in September 2019 and led to two articles of impeachment approved by the House in December 2019. The charges centered on allegations that Trump solicited foreign interference in the 2020 U.S. election by pressuring Ukraine to investigate a political rival and that he obstructed Congress by refusing to comply with subpoenas and blocking administration witnesses and documents.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Date of first impeachment by House | December 18, 2019 | Official legislative records |
| Articles approved | Abuse of power; Obstruction of Congress | House vote records |
| Date of Senate trial start | January 16, 2020 | Senate journal |
| Senate vote on removal | Not convicted; vote fell short of two-thirds | Senate roll-call votes |
Senate trial outcome
In February 2020, the Senate held a trial on the charges. On February 5, 2020, the Senate voted on each article. Neither article reached the two-thirds majority needed to convict and remove Trump from office. The Senate vote on abuse of power failed 48 guilty to 52 not guilty; the vote on obstruction of Congress failed 47 guilty to 53 not guilty. Following acquittal, Trump remained in office until the end of his term.
Second impeachment of Donald Trump (2021)
Background and charges
The second impeachment inquiry followed the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and was led by the House after Trump left office. The House approved a single article of impeachment charging incitement of insurrection on January 13, 2021, making Trump the first U.S. president to be impeached after leaving office. The charge alleged that Trump made false claims about the 2020 election and urged his supporters to march to the Capitol, contributing to the violence that disrupted the certification of the electoral votes.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Date of second impeachment by House | January 13, 2021 | Official legislative records |
| Article | Incitement of insurrection | House resolution |
| Date Senate trial began | February 9, 2021 | Senate journal |
| Senate vote on removal | Not convicted; vote fell short of two-thirds | Senate roll-call votes |
Senate trial outcome
In February 2021, the Senate conducted a trial regarding the incitement of insurrection charge. On February 13, 2021, the Senate voted on the article, with 57 senators voting guilty and 43 not guilty. This fell short of the two-thirds majority required to convict and remove Trump from office. After this acquittal, Trump left office as scheduled and was no longer president.
Impeachment vs. conviction vs. removal from office
Impeachment by the House is an accusation and does not remove an official from office. Only a conviction by the Senate can remove a president (or other civil officer) from office and may include a separate vote on disqualification from future federal office. In both Trump impeachments, the House impeached, but the Senate did not convict, so he was not removed from office in either case.
Historical context and significance
Trump’s impeachments were historically significant: no previous president had been impeached twice, and the second impeachment raised novel constitutional questions about impeaching a former president. The process highlighted the impeachment mechanism’s role as a political check distinct from criminal law. Regardless of the outcome, the impeachments intensified debates about presidential conduct, accountability, and the powers of Congress.