As the nation has been attempting to recover from Jan. 6’s violent insurrection in the U.S. Capitol and waiting anxiously to see what will happen next, a verdict has finally been reached about the involvement of President Donald Trump in the day’s events. 

On the charge that the president incited the violence seen on Jan. 6, the House of Representatives has reached the threshold to impeach Trump, marking a historic first. 

He is now the only President in U.S history to be impeached twice.

During debate before the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pleaded with both Republicans and Democrats to “search their souls” when coming to a decision.

The impeachment resolution charged Trump with a single article, “incitement of insurrection,” for his role in assembling and encouraging a mob to storm the Capitol and doing nothing to stop the violence. 

The resolution passed 232 to 197.

Ten Republicans joined the House Democrat majority in voting to impeach him, making this the most bipartisan impeachment of a president in U.S history. 

The last time Trump was impeached in 2019, every Republican voted against the move, but Democrats held the majority (and still do). 

One of the most prominent House Republicans, Rep. Liz Chaney from Wyoming, announced on Tuesday, Jan. 12 that she would vote to impeach Trump. 

“None of this would have happened without the President. The President could have immediately and forcefully intervened to stop the violence. He did not,” she said. 

Rep. Raul Ruiz, M.D (CA-36), the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus also released a statement in support of voting for Trump’s impeachment. 

“I have sworn an oath to protect America from its enemies, both foreign and domestic, Today, I must fulfill that oath by supporting the impeachment of Donald Trump. The threat of violence continues and every moment he remains in office, America is at risk. He must be removed immediately,” Ruiz wrote. 

Despite the bipartisan support, it was still abundantly clear on Jan. 13 that white supremacy is alive and well in the very minds and hearts of the people elected to Congress. No one knows this better than Rep. Cori Bush, who was booed by Republicans in the chamber after referring to Donald Trump as the “white supremacist in chief.” 

Trump is expected to stay in office and to finish his term because it will take a Senate conviction to remove him from office. 

It’s important to note that neither this second impeachment nor a Senate vote to convict Trump to remove him from office will guarantee that he cannot run again in 2024 or beyond. 

For this to occur, after two-thirds of senators present vote to remove him, a simple majority of senators would have to approve an additional vote to ban him from running for presidency in the future. 

This decision is a positive one, but there is much work left to be done.