Washington, December 19 (RHC)-- In an historic vote Wednesday evening, the U.S. House of Representatives impeached President Donald Trump, marking only the third time in U.S. history that a president has been impeached.

U.S. lawmakers voted 230 to 197 in favor of the first article of impeachment against Trump: abuse of power.  They voted 229 to 198 in favor of the second article of impeachment against the president: obstruction of Congress.  

The two articles center on how Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine to pressure the Ukrainian president to investigate Trump’s political rival, Joe Biden, and then how Trump tried to cover up his actions.

Following the votes, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she would hold the articles back from being sent to the Senate until Democrats were convinced the trial would be fair.

Senate Majority Leader Republican Mitch McConnell has said he is not an “impartial juror” and that he would closely coordinate a Senate impeachment trial with the White House Counsel’s Office, leading Democrats to accuse McConnell of trying to preside over a sham trial.