ionigeria.com Nigerian Newspaper
The Senate will hold a trial on whether Mr Trump is guilty following his conduct surrounding the Capitol riots.
A total of 10 Republicans voted against their party and Mr Trump, with the final result being 232 votes to impeach, and 197 against.
He is the first US president to be impeached twice, after he was previously charged over his calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Mr Trump has been charged with inciting an insurrection following the deadly riots at the US Capitol on 6 January.
Mr Trump did little to condemn the riots as they took place, nor in the immediate aftermath, but in recent days has attempted to ease tensions.
In a recorded statement from the White House after the impeachment vote, Mr Trump said “there is never a justification for violence”.
“If you do any of these things, you are not supporting our movement,” he said, as he pledged that those involved in the riots would be “brought to justice”.
He did not mention his impeachment during the five-minute clip, saying the country’s focus “must be on advancing the interests of the whole nation”.
The scenes at the Capitol left him “shocked and saddened”, he said, describing the violence as a “calamity”.
The 10 Republicans who voted for impeachment were: Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, Peter Meijer of Michigan, Fred Upton of Michigan, Liz Cheney of Wyoming, John Katko of New York, Adam Kinzinger Illinois, Tom Rice of South Carolina, Jamie Herrera Beutler of Washington, Dan Newhouse of Washington and David Valadao of California.
But a Senate trial will not be imminent, with majority leader Mitch McConnell saying that is not enough time for a “fair or serious trial” to take place before Joe Biden is sworn in.
He said: “The House of Representatives has voted to impeach the President. The Senate process will
now begin at our first regular meeting [19 January] following receipt of the article from the House.”
Mr McConnell added: “The President-elect himself stated last week that his inauguration on January 20 is the ‘quickest’ path for any change in the occupant of the presidency.
“In light of this reality, I believe it will best serve our nation if Congress and the executive branch spend the next seven days completely focused on facilitating a safe inauguration and an orderly transfer of power to the incoming Biden administration.”
NEW: Senate Majority Leader McConnell statement:
"Given the rules, procedures, and Senate precedents that govern presidential impeachment trials, there is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial could conclude before President-elect Biden is sworn in next week." pic.twitter.com/pZ1t4Left6
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 13, 2021
