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Senate Votes to Acquit President Donald Trump

Senate Votes On Final Verdict In Impeachment Trial Of President Donald Trump

The impeachment trial of President Donald Trump has come to an end after senators in Washington D.C. voted to acquit the president of charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

The first vote on Article 1, the abuse of power charge, was taken around 4 p.m. ET with lawmakers voting mostly along party lines with one lone Republican, Utah Senator Mitt Romney, voting to convict Trump.

The abuse of power charge failed to pass, 52-48.

Article II, the obstruction of Congress charge, also failed, 53-47.

The two votes means President Donald Trump has been acquitted of all charges passed by the House's impeachment inquiry.

The vote brings an end to the long saga that began with a July 25 phone call between President Trump and the newly elected president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. The House passed two articles of impeachment - the first accused President Trump of abuse of power, alleging that he used his office to pressure Ukraine into investigating his potential 2020 rival former Vice President Joe Biden, and his son Hunter Biden. An investigation by the House found Trump had withheld nearly $400 million in military aid, as well as dangled the possibility of a White House visit for Zelensky in exchange for an investigation into the Biden's activities in Ukraine.

Trump was also accused by Congress of obstruction, after his administration directed federal agencies and other officials to not comply with the impeachment inquiry or subpoenas.

While Trump has been acquitted of the charges, he remains the third president in U.S. history to be formally impeached by the House, joining Presidents Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson. Richard Nixon was on the verge of being impeached, but resigned before the vote was taken.

No U.S. president has ever been removed from office due to being impeached by the House.

Photo: Getty Images


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