After inciting the attack on the Capitol, the House voted 232 to 197 to impeach President Donald Trump (R). Ten Republicans broke away from their party to side with the Democrats to approve the impeachment. Mr. Trump is the first president in the nation’s 245-year history to be impeached twice. The House first impeached Mr. Trump on Dec. 8, 2019, for pressuring the president of Ukraine to investigate the political rivalry between the nation and President-Elect Joe Biden (D). 

“America was attacked, and we must respond even when the cause of this violence resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,” House Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern (D-MA) said on the House floor before voting for impeachment. “Every moment that Donald Trump is in the White House, our nation, our freedom, is in danger.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has signed to get Mr. Trump removed from office. However, she has yet to decide when to transmit the article to the Senate if she chooses to do so. She has declined all questions involving the impeachment article. If the article does reach the Senate, at least 67 of the 100 senators are needed to vote in favor of the article for Mr. Trump to be removed from office.

“Today, in a bipartisan way, the House demonstrated that no one is above the law, not even the president of the United States, that Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to our country and that once again we honored our oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help us, God,” Ms. Pelosi said on Wednesday before signing the article of impeachment.

Though a few Republicans voted for the impeachment, the majority opposed it. They said by fast-tracking Mr. Trump’s leave date, it would only further divide the nation torn apart by political acrimony. With only 10 days left in office, many Republicans believe that the time should be spent on more important matters.

“Our nation still mourns the unacceptable violence and anarchy that took place in this Capitol last week,” House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) said moments before casting his vote. “As we speak, arrests are still being made and the anarchists that stormed our Capitol are being brought to justice as should be the case. Emotions are still high. But in this moment, we need to be focused on toning down the rhetoric and helping heal this nation as we move towards a peaceful transition of power to President-Elect Joe Biden next week.”

While some people have questioned impeaching the President so close to the end of his term, there is precedent. In 1876, Ulysses Grant was impeached by the House on the day he resigned, with the Senate’s trial happening months later. If the House does approve the article to remove Mr. Trump from office, it is likely that a similar pattern will occur. For now, Mr. Trump is prepared to leave office on Wednesday, Jan. 20.