First impeachment of Donald Trump Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids First impeachment of Donald Trump
Members of House of Representatives vote on two articles of impeachment
Accused	Donald Trump, President of the United States
Proponents	Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives Adam Schiff, Chair of the House Intelligence Committee Jerry Nadler, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee
Date	December 18, 2019 to February 5, 2020
Outcome	Impeached by the House of Representatives; found not guilty by the Senate
Charges	Abuse of power, obstruction of Congress
Cause	Allegations that Trump unlawfully solicited Ukrainian authorities to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential election
Congressional votes
Voting in the U.S. House of Representatives
Accusation	Article I – abuse of power
Votes in favor	230
Votes against	197
Present	1
Not voting	3
Result	Article approved; Donald Trump impeached
Accusation	Article II – obstruction of Congress
Votes in favor	229
Votes against	198
Present	1
Not voting	3
Result	Article approved
Voting in the U.S. Senate
Accusation	Article I – abuse of power
Votes in favor	48
Votes against	52
Result	Acquitted
Accusation	Article II – obstruction of Congress
Votes in favor	47
Votes against	53
Result	Acquitted

The first impeachment of Donald Trump was a big event in American politics. It happened while he was the 45th President of the United States. The process started on September 24, 2019, and finished on February 5, 2020.

An impeachment is when a government official, like a president, is accused of serious wrongdoing. The House of Representatives decides if there are enough reasons to accuse them. If they vote yes, the official is "impeached." Then, the Senate holds a trial to decide if the official is guilty and should be removed from office.

This impeachment began because a whistleblower (someone who reports secret information) said that President Trump had asked leaders of another country, Ukraine, for help with the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Specifically, he was accused of asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Hunter Biden and his father Joe Biden. Joe Biden was a political rival and a candidate for president at the time.

House Investigation and Vote
Senate Trial and Verdict
- The Senate Trial Begins
- The Final Vote
Images for kids
See also

House Investigation and Vote

The first part of the impeachment process happened in the House of Representatives. This stage was like an investigation to gather facts.

Gathering Information

From September to November 2019, different committees in the House of Representatives looked into the accusations. These committees included the Intelligence, Oversight, and Foreign Affairs committees. They talked to many people who had information about the events. These people were called "witnesses."

In November 2019, the House Intelligence Committee held public hearings. This meant that the witnesses spoke in front of everyone, and their testimonies were broadcast. On December 3, this committee voted to approve a report about their findings.

Accusations and Judiciary Committee

After the investigation, the House Judiciary Committee took over. They held their own hearings starting on December 4, 2019. During these hearings, experts discussed what actions count as an "impeachable offense." Law professors from different universities shared their views.

On December 13, the Judiciary Committee voted to recommend two official accusations against President Trump. These accusations are called "articles of impeachment." The two articles were:

Abuse of power: This means using the power of the presidency for personal gain or for reasons that are not allowed by law.
Obstruction of Congress: This means trying to block or interfere with Congress's investigation.

House Votes to Impeach

On December 18, 2019, the entire House of Representatives voted on these two articles of impeachment.

For the first article (abuse of power), 230 members voted yes, and 197 voted no.
For the second article (obstruction of Congress), 229 members voted yes, and 198 voted no.

Because the House voted yes on both articles, President Trump was officially "impeached." He became the third president in U.S. history to be impeached by the House.

Senate Trial and Verdict

After the House impeached President Trump, the process moved to the Senate. The Senate's role is to hold a trial, like a jury in a courtroom.

The Senate Trial Begins

On January 10, 2020, Nancy Pelosi, who was the Speaker of the House, announced that the articles of impeachment would be sent to the Senate. The Senate trial officially began on January 21, 2020.

During the trial, both sides presented their arguments. The House members who supported the impeachment (called "managers") presented their evidence and arguments against President Trump. Then, President Trump's lawyers presented his defense. They argued that there was no direct proof of wrongdoing. They also said that the impeachment was an attempt by Democrats to influence the upcoming 2020 election.

The Final Vote

For a president to be found guilty and removed from office, two-thirds of the senators must vote to convict. This is a very high number.

On February 5, 2020, the Senate voted on both articles of impeachment.

For the first article (abuse of power), 48 senators voted guilty, and 52 voted not guilty.
For the second article (obstruction of Congress), 47 senators voted guilty, and 53 voted not guilty.

Because fewer than two-thirds of the senators voted guilty on either article, President Trump was found "not guilty" (also called "acquitted"). This meant he remained in office as president.

Images for kids

Open hearing testimony of Fiona Hill and David Holmes on November 21, 2019
Nancy Pelosi engrossing the articles of impeachment on January 15, 2020
Donald Trump holds up a copy of The Washington Post reporting his acquittal during remarks on February 6, 2020 in the East Room of the White House