Politics in the 2020s feels like a fever dream, doesn't it? If you're trying to keep track of the history books, there is one fact that sticks out like a sore thumb: Donald Trump is the only U.S. President to be impeached twice. Not once. Twice.
It’s a lot to process. Honestly, even if you followed the news every day back then, the details probably feel like a blur of "quid pro quo" and "insurrection" talk. To understand why was trump impeached twice, you have to look at two completely different sets of events that happened about a year apart. One was about a phone call to Ukraine; the other was about the chaos at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th.
Both times, the House of Representatives said, "This is enough." Both times, the Senate said, "We’re not convicting him." Let’s break down how we got there.
The First Time: A Phone Call and a "Favor"
The first impeachment happened in late 2019. It all started with an anonymous whistleblower who basically sounded the alarm on a phone call.
On July 25, 2019, Trump hopped on a call with the newly elected President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At the time, Ukraine was—and still is—desperate for military aid to fight off Russian aggression. Trump had recently frozen about $400 million in aid that Congress had already approved.
During the call, Zelenskyy mentioned wanting to buy more Javelin missiles. Trump’s response? "I would like you to do us a favor, though."
The Ukraine "Quid Pro Quo"
The "favor" involved two things that looked suspiciously like Trump was using his office for personal political gain:
- The Bidens: Trump wanted Zelenskyy to investigate Joe Biden (his likely 2020 opponent) and his son, Hunter Biden, who had served on the board of a Ukrainian energy company called Burisma.
- The 2016 Election: He wanted Ukraine to look into a debunked conspiracy theory that it was Ukraine, not Russia, that meddled in the 2016 U.S. election.
House Democrats, led by Adam Schiff, argued this was a "quid pro quo"—a "this for that." They claimed Trump was holding the military aid and a White House meeting hostage until Zelenskyy announced these investigations on TV.
The Articles of Impeachment (2019)
In December 2019, the House passed two articles:
- Abuse of Power: For using his office to pressure a foreign government to help his reelection.
- Obstruction of Congress: Because the White House told officials not to testify and refused to hand over documents during the investigation.
The trial in the Senate happened in early 2020. Most Republicans argued that while the call might have been "inappropriate," it wasn't impeachable. They also said Trump had a legitimate reason to be concerned about corruption in Ukraine. In the end, the Senate acquitted him on February 5, 2020. Only one Republican, Mitt Romney, voted to convict on the abuse of power charge.
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The Second Time: January 6th and "Incitement"
If the first impeachment was about behind-the-scenes diplomacy, the second one was about as public as it gets. It happened fast—just one week before Trump’s term was set to end in January 2021.
The core reason? The attack on the U.S. Capitol.
After losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden, Trump spent months claiming the election was stolen. He pressured election officials, like Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, to "find" more votes. It all culminated on January 6, 2021, the day Congress was certifying the election results.
"Fight Like Hell"
Trump held a "Save America" rally at the Ellipse, just down the road from the Capitol. He told the crowd, "If you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore."
Shortly after, a mob of his supporters marched to the Capitol, broke through police lines, and smashed their way into the building. Lawmakers had to run for cover. It was a dark day in American history.
House Democrats (and ten Republicans) acted with lightning speed. They argued that Trump had "incited an insurrection." They said his rhetoric—both that day and in the weeks leading up to it—was the direct cause of the violence.
The Lone Article: Incitement of Insurrection
Unlike the first time, there was only one article: Incitement of Insurrection.
The Senate trial took place in February 2021, after Trump had already left office. This created a weird legal debate: Can you even hold an impeachment trial for someone who isn't the President anymore?
- The Defense: Trump’s lawyers said his speech was protected by the First Amendment and that the trial was unconstitutional because he was a private citizen.
- The Prosecution: House managers showed dramatic video of the riot, arguing that "if this isn't an impeachable offense, then nothing is."
The final vote was 57 "guilty" to 43 "not guilty." While a majority of the Senate wanted to convict him—including seven Republicans—it wasn't enough. You need a two-thirds majority (67 votes) to convict. So, he was acquitted again.
Why Does It Still Matter?
You might wonder why we spent so much time on this if he was never actually removed from office.
Honestly, it’s about the precedent. Impeachment is the "ultimate "check and balance" in the Constitution. By impeaching him twice, the House was essentially drawing a line in the sand. They were saying that using foreign aid for political leverage and challenging the peaceful transfer of power are actions that cannot go unanswered.
On the flip side, the acquittals showed just how much party loyalty matters. In a polarized country, getting two-thirds of the Senate to agree on anything—let alone firing a President—is nearly impossible.
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Moving Forward: What You Can Do
Understanding why was trump impeached twice helps make sense of the current legal and political landscape. If you want to dive deeper into the actual evidence presented, here is how you can stay informed without getting lost in the noise:
- Read the Primary Sources: Don't just take a commentator's word for it. The "rough transcript" of the July 2019 Ukraine call and the 155-page "January 6th Report" are both public. Reading the actual text gives you a perspective that a 30-second news clip can't.
- Monitor Judicial Precedents: The second impeachment raised massive questions about whether a former president can be held accountable for actions in office. Keep an eye on Supreme Court rulings regarding "presidential immunity," as these are the direct legal descendants of the impeachment debates.
- Follow Congressional Oversight: Impeachment is a tool of Congress. By watching how current House and Senate committees use their subpoena power, you can see whether the "Obstruction of Congress" charge from 2019 changed how the government actually functions today.
The history of these two events is still being written in the courtrooms and the voting booths. Staying engaged with the facts is the best way to cut through the spin.