You might recall a significant controversy during Donald Trump’s presidency involving a foreign nation, which posed a serious threat to his time in office.
Donald Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives on charges that he abused his power and obstructed Congress. These charges stemmed from allegations that he improperly sought assistance from Ukraine to damage a political rival and boost his own re-election prospects. Ultimately, he was acquitted by the Senate in his impeachment trial.
Let’s delve into the details of how this unfolded.
Image alt text: A photo of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and then-US President Donald Trump during a meeting, illustrating the central figures in the impeachment controversy.
The 100-Word Summary of Trump’s Impeachment
President Trump faced accusations of illegally pressuring the Ukrainian president to find and share damaging information about a leading political opponent. In July 2019, he allegedly urged President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden, a potential rival in the upcoming 2020 presidential election. Democrats argued this action was illegal, as it solicited foreign interference in a US election. Trump maintained his innocence. Following impeachment in the House, a Senate trial took place, but Trump was acquitted.
Image alt text: A summary graphic outlining the Trump impeachment story in approximately 100 words, highlighting the key accusations and outcomes.
The 300-Word Explanation of the Impeachment Inquiry
The impeachment saga began with a whistleblower complaint. In August 2019, an anonymous intelligence official raised concerns about a phone conversation between President Trump and Ukraine’s President Zelensky on July 25th. The whistleblower expressed “urgent concern” that Trump had used his presidential powers to “solicit interference from a foreign country” in the 2020 election.
A transcript of the call revealed that Trump had indeed asked Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden, then a leading candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, and his son Hunter Biden. This call occurred shortly after Trump had put a hold on military aid to Ukraine. A senior official later testified that the aid was explicitly linked to Ukraine investigating the Bidens, an allegation the White House denied.
Trump and his supporters claimed that Joe Biden, while Vice-President, had improperly pressured Ukraine to halt an investigation into a company employing his son, Hunter. However, these claims lacked credible evidence. No evidence surfaced to suggest Joe Biden acted to intentionally benefit his son, nor was there proof of wrongdoing by Hunter Biden.
Democrats in Congress asserted that the phone call proved Trump illegally sought foreign assistance to damage Biden’s reputation. The debate centered on whether seeking opposition research from a foreign government constituted an impeachable offense. President Trump dismissed the proceedings as a “witch hunt.”
The House of Representatives, controlled by Democrats, impeached Trump on two articles: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. However, conviction and removal from office required a two-thirds majority in the Senate, where Republicans held the majority, making acquittal highly probable, which ultimately occurred.
Image alt text: An infographic summarizing the Trump impeachment narrative in about 300 words, detailing the whistleblower complaint, the phone call, and the impeachment charges.
The 800-Word Deep Dive into the Impeachment Case
President Trump stated that his July 25, 2019 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was merely to congratulate him on his recent election victory. Zelensky, a former television personality new to politics, had been elected president three months prior.
However, an anonymous whistleblower, reportedly a CIA officer, perceived something more concerning in their conversation and detailed it in a formal complaint on August 12th. The whistleblower acknowledged not directly hearing the call but relied on accounts from multiple officials that presented a consistent narrative. Approximately a dozen individuals, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, were reportedly listening in on the call.
The call happened shortly after President Trump had suspended $391 million in military aid to Ukraine. Critics argued this was used as leverage, a claim Trump denied.
The whistleblower alleged that the president “used the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country” in the 2020 presidential election. The complaint further stated that White House officials were “deeply disturbed” by the call and took steps to “lock down” details of it.
As the controversy escalated, Trump promised to release a “complete, fully declassified and unredacted transcript” to demonstrate the call was “totally appropriate.” However, the White House released notes summarizing the conversation, not a verbatim transcript, which did little to resolve the growing controversy.
The released notes indicated Trump urged Zelensky to investigate unsubstantiated corruption allegations against former Vice-President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. Trump and his allies suggested Biden, as Vice-President, pressured Ukraine in 2015 to fire its top prosecutor to protect Hunter, who was employed by a Ukrainian energy company.
While Hunter Biden faced criticism for potential conflicts of interest due to his business dealings in Ukraine while his father was in office, no credible evidence emerged that Joe Biden acted improperly to benefit his son. Hunter Biden denied any wrongdoing, and Ukrainian officials stated there was no basis for the allegations.
Image alt text: A photograph from 2010 showing then-President Barack Obama, then-Vice President Joe Biden, and Hunter Biden attending a basketball game together, providing visual context to the figures involved in the controversy.
President Trump’s pressure on a foreign leader to investigate discredited allegations against Biden was significant. Biden was a leading contender to challenge Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Pressuring a foreign power to investigate a political rival opened Trump to accusations of seeking foreign interference in a US election, a potentially illegal act.
This wasn’t the first time Trump’s foreign connections were scrutinized. His 2016 campaign faced investigation over alleged ties to Russia. That inquiry found no criminal conspiracy to influence the election but did not exonerate Trump of obstruction of justice.
Democrats launched a formal impeachment inquiry into the Ukraine matter, and several officials testified. Kurt Volker, the US special envoy to Ukraine, provided text messages and communications. Bill Taylor, the acting ambassador to Ukraine, testified that military aid was conditional on Ukraine investigating the Bidens and described an “irregular, informal channel of US policymaking” in Ukraine. The White House denied these claims.
Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer, central to pushing the Biden allegations, was subpoenaed for documents related to Ukraine. Secretary Pompeo was also subpoenaed.
Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, provided impactful testimony, stating he acted at the “express direction” of the president in pressuring Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. Sondland added that a White House visit for Ukraine’s president was contingent on publicly announcing a Biden probe. He also implicated Pompeo and former National Security Adviser John Bolton in the Ukraine dealings.
In December, House Democrats announced two impeachment charges: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The House impeached Trump before Christmas, making him only the third US president to be impeached.
The Senate trial spanned over two weeks in January and February 2020. Conviction required a two-thirds Senate majority, highly unlikely given Republican control. Trump was acquitted on both charges, with votes of 52-48 and 53-47.
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Further Reading on Trump and the Impeachment Inquiry
Graphic of Trump and Congress
Image alt text: A graphic depicting Donald Trump with the US Congress in the background, symbolizing the impeachment proceedings and the political context of the event.
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Who’s who in the Trump-Ukraine story?](/news/world-us-canada-49838433)
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What Trump’s Ukraine phone call really means](/news/world-us-canada-49831516)
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