Donald Trump becomes first US president to be impeached twice after deadly siege of Capitol

  • Video report by ITV News Washington Correspondent Robert Moore


Donald Trump has been impeached for a historic second time after he was charged with "incitement of insurrection" over the deadly siege of Capitol.

Members of the House of Representatives, including at least 10 Republicans, voted to pass the article of impeachment on Wednesday.

Trump has shattered his credibility as President since urging his supporters to march on the US Capitol last week, resulting in violent clashes which left five dead.

Thousands of National Guardsmen have been brought in to help protect Congress, a week after the riots unleashed on the historic US building.

There are currently more than 6,000 National Guard troops in Washington which is more troops than are currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Security is very tight at the Capitol Credit: AP/Alex Brandon

Trump was first impeached by the House in 2019 over his dealings with Ukraine, but the Senate voted in 2020 to acquit.

In a video statement, released by The White House, Trump said he was "shocked and saddened by the calamity at the US capitol" last week.

But he did not mention the impeachment or of the unsubstantiated claims of "voter fraud" which he has referred to recently.

He said: "We have seen too many riots, too many mobs too many acts of intimidation and destruction. It must.

"Whether you are on the right, or on the left, a Democrat or Republican. There is never a justification for violence. No excuses. no exceptions."

He added: "No supporter of mine could ever threaten or harass their fellow Americans.

"If you do any of these things you are attacking our country and we cannot tolerate it."

Trump said he has been briefed on more upcoming threats of violence and urged his supporters to "remain peaceful".

US House of Representatives Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, said the house "demonstrated no one is above the law - not even the president of the United States".

Ms Pelosi echoed her earlier speech saying Trump represents a "clear and present danger to the nation", before signing the impeachment papers.

Nancy Pelosi displays the signed article of impeachment against President Donald Trump. Credit: AP

So, what happens next?

An impeachment trial will then take place in the Senate, where senior US lawmakers will decide if Trump is guilty or not of the charges levelled against him.

However, the trial will have to wait until President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated, according to a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

The spokesman said aides to the Kentucky Republican have told Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s staff that McConnell won’t agree to invoke powers calling senators into emergency session.

That means the Senate almost certainly won’t meet again until 19 January - the day before Biden’s inauguration.

This also means that Trump will not be forced out of office and Mike Pence will not take over.


  • ITV News Washington Correspondent Emma Murphy explains what the next week could look like as security is ramped up ahead of Biden's inauguration


Did Donald Trump provoke his fans to riot and storm into the US Capitol?

During Trump's speech at the rally in Washington, the US President repeated his unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud during the November 2020 presidential election.

He also urged his supporters to march on Congress.

Addressing the crowd of several thousand supporters, Trump said: "We're going to walk down to the Capitol, and we're going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women, and we're probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them, because you'll never take back our country with weakness.

Donald Trump at his Washington rally on Wednesday, where he incited his supporters to march on the Capitol Credit: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

"You have to show strength, and you have to be strong," he added.

Messages unearthed by ITV News, posted online in the days before the rally, reveal that protesters had publicly disclosed their plans to storm the Capitol buildings, which they referred to as "Our House".

ITV News' Global Security Editor Rohit Kachroo reports: "On the eve on the protests one said 'I think turn out is going to be great.'

"Another responded to that saying: 'You mean when we storm the Capitol?'"

One post said "GOTTA OVERWHELM THOSE BARRICADES AND COPS", while another wrote "STORM THE GATES!!!, uncovered with the Center for Countering Digital Hate.

Among other messages were "we just have to get past the barricades and they'll panic and try to flee" and "there are side doors that visitors use that are normal doors”.