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| Trump impeachment: When will he go on trial in the Senate? | Trump impeachment: When will he go on trial in the Senate? |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| President Trump returned to Twitter to post the address | President Trump returned to Twitter to post the address |
| Donald Trump has been impeached - again. So what now? | Donald Trump has been impeached - again. So what now? |
| The president has become the first in US history to twice suffer such ignominy - impeachment means to be charged with misconduct by the lower house of US Congress. | The president has become the first in US history to twice suffer such ignominy - impeachment means to be charged with misconduct by the lower house of US Congress. |
| The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives accused Mr Trump of encouraging violence with his false claims of election fraud and egging on a mob to storm the Capitol on 6 January. | The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives accused Mr Trump of encouraging violence with his false claims of election fraud and egging on a mob to storm the Capitol on 6 January. |
| Some Republicans also backed impeachment in that historic vote. | Some Republicans also backed impeachment in that historic vote. |
| What happens next? | What happens next? |
| Mr Trump, a Republican, now faces trial in the upper chamber, the Senate. | Mr Trump, a Republican, now faces trial in the upper chamber, the Senate. |
| A two-thirds majority in the Senate means a conviction and removal from office. | A two-thirds majority in the Senate means a conviction and removal from office. |
| But the president has left office and Democrat Joe Biden was sworn in. | But the president has left office and Democrat Joe Biden was sworn in. |
| So it's uncharted territory. | So it's uncharted territory. |
| OK, when is the trial? | OK, when is the trial? |
| It is set to start next week. | |
| The next stage of this process is for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to send the article of impeachment - the charge of incitement laid out and approved by the lower chamber - to the Senate. | The next stage of this process is for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to send the article of impeachment - the charge of incitement laid out and approved by the lower chamber - to the Senate. |
| The new Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that she would do that on Monday 25 January. According to the Constitution, that triggers the trial phase which must begin by 13:00 (local) the following day. | |
| Republicans had requested a delay of several weeks to give Mr Trump time to prepare his defence. | |
| Can he be tried now he has left? | Can he be tried now he has left? |
| It's never happened before so it's untested and the US Constitution doesn't say. | It's never happened before so it's untested and the US Constitution doesn't say. |
| Impeachment proceedings against President Richard Nixon were ended when he quit in 1974. | Impeachment proceedings against President Richard Nixon were ended when he quit in 1974. |
| So Mr Trump could take his case to the Supreme Court, claiming his trial was unconstitutional. | So Mr Trump could take his case to the Supreme Court, claiming his trial was unconstitutional. |
| Some lower ranked officials have been impeached after leaving office. | Some lower ranked officials have been impeached after leaving office. |
| The current leader in the Senate, a Republican, and his successor, a Democrat, are both preparing for a trial. | The current leader in the Senate, a Republican, and his successor, a Democrat, are both preparing for a trial. |
| What happens to impeached presidents? | What happens to impeached presidents? |
| What impeachment means for Trump, Biden and America | What impeachment means for Trump, Biden and America |
| Would Mr Trump be convicted in the Senate? | Would Mr Trump be convicted in the Senate? |
| Democrats only hold half the 100 seats so they would require 17 Republicans to vote against their own president. | Democrats only hold half the 100 seats so they would require 17 Republicans to vote against their own president. |
| That's a tall order from a party that has largely remained publicly loyal to Mr Trump. | That's a tall order from a party that has largely remained publicly loyal to Mr Trump. |
| But 10 Republicans in the House supported impeachment and a couple of senators have indicated they are open to it. | But 10 Republicans in the House supported impeachment and a couple of senators have indicated they are open to it. |
| Even Mitch McConnell, who leads the Republican Party in the upper chamber, says he has not yet made up his mind how he will vote. | Even Mitch McConnell, who leads the Republican Party in the upper chamber, says he has not yet made up his mind how he will vote. |
| At the Capitol: Trump's Christian supporters | At the Capitol: Trump's Christian supporters |
| 'Like a medieval battle': The riots frontline | 'Like a medieval battle': The riots frontline |
| Could Trump run for president again if convicted? | Could Trump run for president again if convicted? |
| If he is convicted by the Senate, lawmakers could hold another vote to block him from running for elected office again - which he had indicated he planned to do in 2024. | If he is convicted by the Senate, lawmakers could hold another vote to block him from running for elected office again - which he had indicated he planned to do in 2024. |
| This could be the biggest consequence of this impeachment. | This could be the biggest consequence of this impeachment. |
| If he is convicted, a simple majority of senators would be needed to block Mr Trump from holding "any office of honour, trust or profit under the United States". | If he is convicted, a simple majority of senators would be needed to block Mr Trump from holding "any office of honour, trust or profit under the United States". |
| How did Republicans defend Trump - and who voted to impeach? | How did Republicans defend Trump - and who voted to impeach? |
| So 50 senators plus a casting vote from Vice-President Kamala Harris would be enough to damn Mr Trump's hopes of political power. | So 50 senators plus a casting vote from Vice-President Kamala Harris would be enough to damn Mr Trump's hopes of political power. |
| This could be appealing to Republicans hoping to run for president in the future and those who want Mr Trump out of the party. | This could be appealing to Republicans hoping to run for president in the future and those who want Mr Trump out of the party. |
| What about other benefits? | What about other benefits? |
| There has been talk of Mr Trump losing benefits granted to his predecessors under the 1958 Former Presidents Act, which include a pension and health insurance, and potentially a lifetime security detail at taxpayers' expense. | There has been talk of Mr Trump losing benefits granted to his predecessors under the 1958 Former Presidents Act, which include a pension and health insurance, and potentially a lifetime security detail at taxpayers' expense. |
| However, Mr Trump is likely to keep these benefits if he is convicted after leaving office. | However, Mr Trump is likely to keep these benefits if he is convicted after leaving office. |
| Could the trial be delayed for weeks? | Could the trial be delayed for weeks? |
| One senior House Democrat had suggested that the party may choose not to send any articles of impeachment to the Senate until after Mr Biden's first 100 days in office. | One senior House Democrat had suggested that the party may choose not to send any articles of impeachment to the Senate until after Mr Biden's first 100 days in office. |
| That would allow Mr Biden to use the Senate to confirm his new cabinet and kick-start key policies including tackling coronavirus. | That would allow Mr Biden to use the Senate to confirm his new cabinet and kick-start key policies including tackling coronavirus. |
| But Mrs Pelosi has indicated she would like a speedy trial. | But Mrs Pelosi has indicated she would like a speedy trial. |
| And Mr Biden says he would be open to the Senate operating half and half on impeachment and other business like approving his team. | And Mr Biden says he would be open to the Senate operating half and half on impeachment and other business like approving his team. |
| With the Democrats taking control of the Senate on Wednesday, that would appear to be a certainty. | With the Democrats taking control of the Senate on Wednesday, that would appear to be a certainty. |
| Did Trump's words at rally incite the riot? | Did Trump's words at rally incite the riot? |
| Could Trump pardon himself? | Could Trump pardon himself? |
| Media reports, quoting unnamed sources, say Mr Trump has suggested to aides he is considering granting a pardon to himself in the final days of his presidency. | Media reports, quoting unnamed sources, say Mr Trump has suggested to aides he is considering granting a pardon to himself in the final days of his presidency. |
| If he did, it would not help him out of this particular spot. | If he did, it would not help him out of this particular spot. |
| It would absolve him from any federal crimes he may have committed in office, but would not cover a conviction in the Senate in what is a political process. | It would absolve him from any federal crimes he may have committed in office, but would not cover a conviction in the Senate in what is a political process. |
| The president already faces numerous criminal investigations, including New York State inquiries into whether he misled tax authorities, banks or business partners. | The president already faces numerous criminal investigations, including New York State inquiries into whether he misled tax authorities, banks or business partners. |
| There is no precedent for a US leader issuing such a pardon. | There is no precedent for a US leader issuing such a pardon. |
| Some legal experts have previously said no, citing an opinion issued by the Justice Department days before Richard Nixon's resignation that he could not pardon himself "under the fundamental rule that no-one may be a judge in his own case". | Some legal experts have previously said no, citing an opinion issued by the Justice Department days before Richard Nixon's resignation that he could not pardon himself "under the fundamental rule that no-one may be a judge in his own case". |
| Others though say the constitution does not preclude a self-pardon. | Others though say the constitution does not preclude a self-pardon. |
| Could the US president pardon himself? (Written July 2017) | Could the US president pardon himself? (Written July 2017) |
| What was his first impeachment for again? | What was his first impeachment for again? |
| That was over his dealings with Ukraine, although he denied any wrongdoing. | That was over his dealings with Ukraine, although he denied any wrongdoing. |
| He was accused of pressing the country's leader to open an investigation into Mr Biden, then his emerging rival for the White House, and his son Hunter. | He was accused of pressing the country's leader to open an investigation into Mr Biden, then his emerging rival for the White House, and his son Hunter. |
| Trump's first impeachment, from beginning to end | Trump's first impeachment, from beginning to end |
| Mr Trump appeared to use military aid as leverage. He was impeached by the House and cleared by the Republican-controlled Senate. | Mr Trump appeared to use military aid as leverage. He was impeached by the House and cleared by the Republican-controlled Senate. |
| Hang on, why was Trump impeached again? | Hang on, why was Trump impeached again? |