US House Impeaches President Trump
On a near party-line vote, Democrat-controlled House approves two articles of impeachment against Trump, a Republican, making him only third US president to be impeached in country's 243-year history
U.S. President Donald Trump rallied supporters in Battle Creek, Michigan, as the U.S. House of Representatives began voting on impeaching him.
Trump took to the stage for his last campaign rally of the year as the House began voting.
"It doesn't feel like we're being impeached," Trump said, to cheers, as Congressman Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, introduced the two articles of impeachment. Minutes later, he was impeached on the first article.
As House passed the threshold to pass the second article, Trump continued his speech in front of an energetic crowd, highlighting the military and Space Force, the strength of the economy and the investments made by numerous companies in Michigan.
"You're back, very proud of you," he said.
He cast “the radical left” as consumed with rage and envy, saying, “I have the greatest economy in the history of this country. If crooked Hillary won the economy would have crashed.”
Trump continuously blasted Democrats for what he called “a very dark era.”
"This lawless partisan impeachment is a political suicide march for the Democrat party," he told the crowd. "Have you seen my polls in the last four weeks?"
Earlier in the day, Trump stayed at his White House residence with no public events on his schedule except for the rally — but he did weigh in on Twitter several times, tweeting midday: “SUCH ATROCIOUS LIES BY THE RADICAL LEFT, DO NOTHING DEMOCRATS. THIS IS AN ASSAULT ON AMERICA, AND AN ASSAULT ON THE REPUBLICAN PARTY!!!!”
As Trump continued addressing the crowd, the House voted to impeach him largely along party lines with all Republicans united behind Trump. Trump mentioned the vote in his speech, noting that three Democrats voted against his impeachment, which drew roars from the audience.
"The Republican party has never been so affronted but they have never been so united as they are right now," he said.
The Republican-led Senate will now hold a trial to determine whether to convict and remove Trump from office, but he's expected to be acquitted.