The second impeachment occurred in January 2021, following the January 6 Capitol riot. Trump was charged with incitement of insurrection, with the House voting 232-197 to impeach him on January 13, 2021. Ten Republicans joined Democrats in this vote, making it the most bipartisan presidential impeachment in history.
The incitement charge stemmed from Trump’s speech at a rally preceding the Capitol riot, where he urged his supporters to “fight like hell” and march to the Capitol. The rioters stormed the Capitol, disrupting the certification of the Electoral College results and leading to multiple deaths and injuries. The impeachment article cited Trump’s persistent false claims of election fraud and his actions leading up to and on January 6 as inciting violence against the government.
The Senate trial started in February 2021, after Trump had left office. The House managers presented a detailed account of the riot, including graphic video evidence and Trump’s actions leading up to the event. On February 13, 2021, Trump was acquitted with a vote of 57-43, failing to reach the two-thirds majority needed for conviction. Seven Republican senators voted to convict.