Donald Trump became the first president in American history to be impeached twice when the House of Representatives voted to charge him with inciting last week’s mob attack on the Capitol.

On Dec. 18, the US House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald J. Trump, making him the third president since the founding of the United States to face this sanction. The unprecedented second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump begins in the United States Senate at 1 pm on Tuesday (11.30 pm on February 9 in India). Trump will be represented by his attorneys Bruce L Castor Jr and David Schoen, who filed a 78-page trial brief on Feb 8 saying the impeachment charge is violative of Trump’s right to free speech and due process and is ‘constitutionally flawed’ on account of the fact that Trump has already left office.

What are the charges against Trump?

Immediately after Trump gave an incendiary speech to his supporters on January 6 asking them to “fight like hell” so he could keep the White House, a large and violent mob stormed the US Capitol where lawmakers were in the process of confirming Joe Biden as the winner of the November 2020 presidential election.

A chaotic scene unfolded at the Capitol as supporters of President Trump swarmed the building to protest the Electoral College vote, forcing a lockdown and various confrontations with police.

Five people were killed and hundreds injured, the halls and chambers of the building were vandalized, and members of Congress and Capitol staff cowered for hours in hiding for fear of being attacked or killed.

On January 13, the House of Representatives voted 232-197 to approve a single article of impeachment that accused Trump of “inciting violence against the government of the United States” in an attempt to overturn the result of the election. The article of impeachment also asked that he be disqualified from holding any public office again.

Peaceful Transition of Power

President Donald Trump condemned the violent supporters who stormed the US Capitol, saying they do not represent America, as he vowed to ensure a peaceful and smooth transition of power to President-elect Joe Biden.

In a new video message, Trump said America is, and must always be a nation of law and order. Like all Americans, I am outraged by the violence, lawlessness, and mayhem. I immediately deployed the National Guard and federal law enforcement to secure the building and expel the intruders, Trump said.

Several White House officials resigned after the pro-Trump mob stormed the US Capitol. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, former chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, National Security Council Ryan Tully were among those who resigned.

Trump Issues Pardons and Commutations

President Donald Trump issued more than 140 pardons and commutations late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, as one of his final acts before he leaves office on Wednesday.

The Washington Post reported that Trump and close aides, including his daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, drew up the list during a Sunday meeting in the Oval Office. The New York Times reported that Ivanka sent the final list to the White House counsel’s office for approval and that the Justice Department’s pardon office, which typically reviews who gets executive clemency grants, was not included in the process.

Impeachment Trails Begins

The impeachment trial of President Donald Trump in the United States Senate will take a dramatic turn on Saturday as the president’s lawyers preview their defence of the president. 

The Senate trial of former president Donald Trump started on Tuesday with a debate and vote on the constitutionality of his second impeachment trial. House managers and the former president’s lawyers took up to four equally divided hours to make the case for or against the constitutionality of Trump’s second impeachment, followed by a Senate vote that passed in its favour by 56 – 44 votes.

The impeachment managers, led by Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., argued that dismissing this impeachment trial would create a ‘January exception,’ setting the precedent for a lame-duck president to act without consequence in the final weeks of his administration.