What was trumps prior inpechments for
Executive summary
Donald J. Trump was impeached twice by the U.S. House: first on Dec. 18, 2019 — charged with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress tied to a July 25, 2019 phone call with Ukraine and withheld military aid (House articles cited those specific charges) [1] [2]. The second impeachment occurred Jan. 13, 2021 — charged with “incitement of insurrection” over his role in events culminating in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol [3] [4].
1. Two impeachments, two separate accusations — quick primer
The House’s first formal action against Trump adopted two articles in December 2019: abuse of power for soliciting foreign interference in the 2020 election via a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and obstruction of Congress for directing administration officials not to comply with subpoenas during the inquiry [1] [2]. The second House impeachment in January 2021 charged Trump with incitement of insurrection, asserting his words and conduct surrounding the certification of the 2020 election foreseeably encouraged the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol [3] [4].
2. What the evidence claims were in each case
For the 2019 case, the inquiry centered on a July 25, 2019 phone transcript and related actions: withholding nearly $400 million in military aid and pressing Ukraine to announce investigations that could benefit Trump politically, which the House framed as a corrupt quid pro quo and abuse of presidential power [5] [2]. The 2021 article of impeachment pointed to repeated public claims of voter fraud, a Jan. 6 speech urging supporters to “fight,” and prior pressure on state officials — the House argued these factors together encouraged violence that disrupted Congress’s constitutional duty to certify the election [3] [6].
3. Outcomes in the Senate and historical firsts
Both impeachments were followed by Senate trials that did not reach the two‑thirds majority needed to convict. The first trial ended in acquittal on Feb. 5, 2020; the second resulted in a Senate vote that fell short of conviction in February 2021, leaving Trump acquitted again — he remains the only U.S. president impeached twice [3] [7].
4. Constitutional and political fault lines exposed
Legal scholars and institutional guides note the proceedings highlighted fundamental disputes about what constitutes “high Crimes and Misdemeanors” and whether impeachable conduct must be criminally indictable — the House’s position in 2019 stressed that impeachable offenses need not be indictable crimes [8]. The impeachments also followed stark partisan divides in Congress and public debate about impeachment’s role as a political or constitutional remedy [5] [9].
5. Subsequent and ongoing impeachment efforts in context
After Trump’s second acquittal and following his return to national office, multiple members of Congress introduced or threatened new articles of impeachment in 2025, citing varied allegations from obstruction to abuse of power; individual members such as Rep. Shri Thanedar and Rep. Al Green filed or signaled articles in 2025, though Republican House control made removal unlikely [10] [11] [12]. Congressional resolutions in the 119th Congress demonstrate continuing formal efforts to impeach again on claims described as “high crimes and misdemeanors” [13] [14] [15].
6. Competing narratives and what sources emphasize
Official House documents and legal summaries frame the 2019 and 2021 impeachments around concrete acts (Ukraine call, withholding aid; Jan. 6 speech and actions) and institutional processes (transcripts, subpoenas, committee reports) [2] [16] [3]. Activist groups and some members of Congress advance broader lists of alleged abuses and call for renewed impeachment, while Trump’s allies and White House spokespeople framed these efforts as political attacks or publicity stunts [17] [18] [19]. Available sources do not mention definitive judicial rulings that resolved the impeachment allegations as criminal convictions; they instead document congressional actions and political responses (not found in current reporting).
7. Why this history matters now
The two prior impeachments set procedural and political precedents: they clarified how the House may articulate articles tied to policy conduct, underscored the Senate’s high bar for conviction, and left open questions about impeachment’s use in deeply polarized politics [7] [8]. Ongoing 2025 resolutions and filings indicate impeachment remains a live tool for Members of Congress to register constitutional objections even when removal is unlikely [15] [11].
Limitations: this account uses only the provided sources and therefore does not include material outside them; any claim not covered in those sources is identified as “not found in current reporting” or otherwise noted above [1] [3].