NEW DELHI:   The United States House of Representatives, the lower house of the United States Congress on Wednesday voted to impeach outgoing Republican President Donald Trump, the first in the history of US for a president to be ever impeached twice.

A week after a violent mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol, an article of impeachment charging Trump with incitement of insurrection against the US government was introduced in the house on Monday, January 11 which was voted by 232 for and 197 against in the Democratic-controlled house.  

Moving the motion of 'Articles of Impeachment' House Speaker, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, said that Trump must go, he is a clear and present danger to the nation. "The president of the United States incited this insurrection, this armed rebellion against our common country,” she said.

Although it is unlikely that the impeachment would lead to Trump’s ouster merely days away before his four-year term ends on Januray 20, and when President-elect Democratic Joe Biden will be sworn in, as the 'Articles of Impeachment' by the lower house is only the first step.  

As per the process, it has to be referred to the upper house the Senate to conduct a trial to determine Trump’s guilt. Which, given the shot span of time remaining for Trump's presidency is highly improbable

A demand by the Democrats for an immediate impeachment trial was also rejected by the Senate’s Republican majority leader, Mitch McConnell, who said that it cannot begin until after the Senate returns from a recess on January 19, meaning that the trial if ever instituted, will begin only after Trump demits his office on January 20, 2021.

The first impeachment of Donald Trump occurred on December 18, 2019, when the House of Representatives adopted two articles of impeachment against Trump, namely abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. However, the Senate acquitted Trump of these charges on February 5, 2020.

A formal House inquiry had alleged that Trump withheld military aid and an invitation to the White House to Ukrainian president Volodymyr  Zelensky in order to influence Ukraine to announce an investigation into Trump's political opponent Joe Biden and to promote a discredited conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia, was behind interference in the 2016 presidential election. 

As the Democrats remain firm on Trump's impeachment, the debate in US right now revolves around the subject if Trump can be still impeached even after stepping down as President of the country and some constitutional experts believe that such a thing can happen and an action like a 'late impeachment' is possible and constitutional valid. 

The fact however remains that, in the constitutional history of US, although, impeachment proceedings have been initiated against three presidents in the past including Trump's own first impeachment in 2019, Bill Clinton in 1998 and Andrew Johnson in 1868, no president has ever has been removed from office through impeachment.