Is Trump still president? Everything you need to know about impeachment, explained

Power Play: Heyman on Trump, Iran tensions Former U.S. Ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman gives an update on Donald Trump's impeachment and the U.S. conflict with Iran.

TORONTO — U.S. President Donald Trump was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, on articles of abuse of power and obstruction.

He remains president, and the case would normally move on to the Republican-controlled Senate for trial -- however, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has delayed handing over the articles to the Senate, putting the proceedings in limbo.

Pelosi said she is waiting for Senate leaders to agree on the rules that would govern the trial - which is predicted to occur in the new year.

The Senate trial is expected to end in Trump’s acquittal --that’s because convicting the president would require 20 Republicans to side with the Democrats to remove him from office, according to CNN.

In light of the entrenched partisan divide between Republicans and Democrats, which has widened with Trump’s controversial presidency, it is unlikely that there will be anyone crossing party lines.

Top Republican Senator Mitch McConnell said on Thursday that the Democrat-controlled House has “let its partisan rage at this particular president create a toxic new precedent that will echo well into the future.”

McConnell argued that the articles fail to meet the constitutional standard of impeachment.

Trump is only the third president in America’s history to be formally charged under articles of impeachment, after past presidents Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998.

Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 instead of facing the impeachment process after the Watergate scandal.

What is Trump facing?

Trump was impeached over abuse of power – related to his withholding of monetary aid to Ukraine and his request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate Joe Biden, and obstruction of Congress for his refusal to cooperate with the ensuing investigation.

If Trump is acquitted by the Republican-led Senate trial expected to begin in January, he is eligible to run for reelection.

Trump has been very vocal on Twitter about his feelings on the proceedings, calling the process an “assault on America,” and “presidential harassment.”

The history of impeachment

Current-day use of impeachment stems from 14th century British Constitutional legislation, where historically it was used by Parliamentarians to hold the king’s ministers accountable.

It was adapted for use in the U.S. by the Founding Fathers during the Federal Constitution Convention in 1787 – the event that created the country’s Constitution.

Under U.S. Constitution Article II, section 4, “the President, Vice President and all Civil Officers of the United States shall be removed from Office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.”

Impeachment’s power is limited to removing an individual from office and potentially disqualifying the individual from holding future office – fines and jail time for charges committed while in office are left to the civil court system.

The House of Representatives has the sole power to impeach an official, and the Senate is the sole court for impeachment trials.

The 26 formal rules to guide Senators through impeachment proceedings were first written out in 1868, for the trial of then-President Andrew Johnson.

The rules cover everything from formal scripts to be used during proceedings, to oaths of impartiality that Senators must take and the limitations to the power that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has as they preside over the proceedings.

However, a majority of 51 Senators can vote to change any of the rules at any time, according to the caveat “unless otherwise ordered by the Senate” which appears eight times in the rules.

The House has initiated impeachment proceedings more than 60 times, but “less than a third have led to full impeachments” according to the U.S. House of Representatives website.

Only eight officials – all federal judges – have been convicted and removed from office by the Senate.

Historically, 15 federal judges have been impeached, two presidents, a cabinet secretary in 1876 and a U.S. Senator in 1797 have also been impeached.

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With files from CNN and the Associated Press