Trump's historic impeachment, by the numbers


President Trump became the third president in U.S. history to be impeached on Wednesday and the first Republican. While the votes were being cast, Trump was speaking at a rally in Michigan, making him the first president away from Washington, D.C, during his impeachment. The House impeached him on two counts, abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — leaving him tied with former President Bill Clinton for the smallest number of approved articles of impeachment. At the same time, he was impeached with the highest number of votes.
Former President Andrew Johnson's impeachment was more lopsided — 126 in favor, 47 opposed — but had a smaller number of yea votes due to the smaller size of the House in 1868. Johnson and Clinton, both Democrats, also faced their Senate trials with Republicans in the majority. Former President Richard Nixon, who resigned before he could become the first Republican impeached and first president convicted and removed from office, faced a Democratic majority in the Senate.
The good news for Trump is that, unlike in the previous three serious impeachment efforts, his own party control the Senate, CNN notes. "The bad news for Trump is that the party of every president who faced impeachment lost the next presidential election." It's worth remembering in all of this that when it comes to presidential impeachment, the sample size is very small.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
September 13 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include court-approved racial profiling and America's moral compass
-
Giorgio Armani obituary: designer revolutionised the business of fashion
In the Spotlight ‘King Giorgio’ came from humble beginnings to become a titan of the fashion industry and redefine 20th century clothing
-
Crossword: September 13, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own list
speed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battle
Speed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants