Listen: Special Coverage Of Impeachment Proceedings

By Barbara Sprunt / NPR

Published January 13, 2021 at 6:22 AM PST

This story was published more than 3 years ago.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., arrives at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday to begin the process of impeaching President Trump for a second time. The Capitol has increased security following the insurrection.

Update at 5 p.m. ET: Special coverage of this event has ended. Follow more updates on NPR.org.

The House of Representatives passed an article of impeachment against President Trump on Wednesday, making him the first president in U.S. history to be impeached twice.

The resolution lists "incitement of insurrection," charging that Trump's comments to supporters on Jan. 6 led to a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol that temporarily forced lawmakers into hiding and left at least five people dead.

Become a KPBS sponsor

The impeachment resolution reads: "President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government. He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coequal branch of Government. He thereby betrayed his trust as President, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States."

Unlike Trump's first impeachment, Democrats now have support from some Republican members as well, including the No. 3 House Republican, Liz Cheney of Wyoming.

"There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution," Cheney said in a statement released Tuesday evening. In total, 10 Republicans voted for impeachment.