Donald Trump is the only U.S. president to have been impeached twice. Impeachment is a constitutional process by which the House can bring charges (impeachment) and the Senate holds a trial to decide whether to remove someone from office. For Trump, the first impeachment centered on allegations that he withheld military aid and pressured Ukraine to investigate a political rival, while the second impeachment followed his conduct in overturning the 2020 election result, culminating in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Both resulted in Senate acquittals, and the second also produced a post-presidential conviction on the House resolution that he had engaged in "incitement of insurrection." The following explainer lays out key facts, votes, and outcomes in plain terms.
Key facts at a glance
The table below summarizes the most important verified details for each impeachment. Note that Senate vote thresholds for conviction were not reached in either trial.
| Impeachment | Date of House vote | Key charge(s) | Senate trial dates | Senate vote result | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | December 18, 2019 | Abuse of power; obstruction of Congress (related to Ukraine) | January 16–February 5, 2020 | Acquitted; vote for conviction fell short of two-thirds majority | Not removed from office; no disqualification from future office voted separately at that time |
| Second | January 13, 2021 | Incitement of insurrection (related to January 6, 2021) | February 8–February 13, 2021 | Acquitted on Article of Impeachment; vote for conviction was 57–43, short of two-thirds majority | Not removed from office; post-presidential, the House adopted a resolution declaring he engaged in insurrection |
What is impeachment in the U.S. Constitution?
Impeachment is the process by which the House of Representatives can bring formal charges against a federal official, including the president. It is not, by itself, removal from office. The Senate conducts a trial, and a two-thirds vote of senators present is required to convict and remove the official from office. The Framers designed impeachment as a check against abuses of power and a way to hold officials accountable without relying on the regular election cycle. The same constitutional text governs both impeachment and a possible disqualification from future federal office, which the Senate may vote on after a conviction.
First impeachment of Donald Trump (2019)
Background and allegations
In 2019, a whistleblower complaint described a July 2019 phone call in which President Trump asked the leader of Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son. The complaint alleged that the White House had withheld already appropriated military aid from Ukraine to create leverage. In September 2019, a summary of the whistleblower complaint was released, triggering several months of public hearings and closed-door depositions.
House investigation and articles of impeachment
House intelligence and foreign affairs committees led an inquiry that culminated in two articles of impeachment: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The House debated largely along party lines and voted to approve both articles on December 18, 2019, sending the case to the Senate for trial.
Senate trial and outcome
The Senate trial began on January 16, 2020, with the House appointing managers to present the case and the president’s lawyers mounting a defense. On February 5, 2020, the Senate voted on the two articles. Neither reached the 67-vote threshold needed for conviction and removal. After the trial, the Senate separately voted on whether to disqualify Trump from holding future federal office; that vote also failed to reach the required majority.
Second impeachment of Donald Trump (2021)
Context and events leading to impeachment
Following the November 2020 election, President Trump challenged the certification of electoral votes and made claims of widespread fraud. On January 6, 2021, his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol while Congress was counting the electoral votes. In the aftermath, members of Congress argued that Trump’s prior comments and conduct had incited the violence and called for accountability.
House action and charge
On January 13, 2021, the House voted to adopt a single article of impeachment charging Trump with incitement of insurrection. Ten Republicans joined the majority to approve the article, marking the first time that the House had impeached a president twice. Speaker Pelosi signed the article, and the case was transmitted to the Senate for trial.
Senate trial and acquittal
The Senate trial began on February 8, 2021. The central question was whether Trump was responsible for the Capitol attack and whether he should be disqualified from future office. On February 13, the Senate voted on the article. A two-thirds majority was not reached, resulting in acquittal. Later that day, the Senate proceeded to vote on disqualification from future office, which also fell short of the required majority.
Legal, political, and practical effects
Impeachment by the House does not remove a president or bar someone from holding future office. Only a Senate conviction can remove an official from office. Neither of Trump’s impeachments resulted in removal, and the Senate did not convict him on the merits of either charge. However, the second impeachment had a notable downstream consequence: after leaving office, the House voted to hold a separate resolution declaring that he had engaged in insurrection, which limits his eligibility under the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause, though courts have not definitively interpreted that application to former presidents.
Important distinctions to understand
- Impeachment is not criminal prosecution; it is a political process at the federal level.
- An impeached president remains in office until the Senate convicts and removes them.
- Senate rules allow former officials to be tried after they leave office, though removal is no longer possible once they have left.
- A future presidency remains legally possible unless the Senate votes to disqualify after a conviction (which did not occur for Trump).
Why this matters going forward
Trump’s impeachments set precedents about how Congress addresses serious allegations against a president, including election-related conduct. They underscored the role of Congress as a check on presidential power and highlighted the political divisions that shape high-stakes constitutional processes. Regardless of one’s views on the merits, the procedural steps—House investigation, articles of impeachment, Senate trial, and votes—are central to understanding how removal and accountability work in the U.S. system.
Common questions and misconceptions
- Does impeachment mean a president is guilty? No. Impeachment is an accusation; conviction and removal require a Senate trial and a two-thirds vote.
- Can a president be impeached after leaving office? The Constitution is not explicit, but the House and Senate have asserted the power to impeach former officials, as seen in Trump’s second impeachment after he left office.
- Has any U.S. president been removed by impeachment? No. No president has ever been removed from office by impeachment and conviction.
- What is the difference between impeachment and a criminal indictment? Impeachment is a political process in Congress; a criminal indictment is a charge brought by prosecutors in the justice system. They operate independently.
Bottom line
Yes, Donald Trump was impeached twice—first in December 2019 over Ukraine-related allegations, and second in January 2021 over his role in the events leading up to January 6. Both times the Senate acquitted him, and he was not removed from office. This remains the only time a U.S. president has faced impeachment twice. The process illustrates the constitutional mechanisms for accountability, and it continues to shape debates about presidential conduct, congressional power, and eligibility for future office.
This explainer reflects verified, public information available as of 2026 and does not constitute legal or political advice. For authoritative legal context, consult official U.S. government sources or a qualified legal professional.