January 13 / February 13, 2021 impeachment January 6 insurrection fact-checked

Trump Was Impeached for Incitement of Insurrection. 57 Senators Voted to Convict. The Two-Thirds Threshold Was Not Met. He Was Acquitted.

One week after the Capitol attack, the House of Representatives impeached Donald Trump on a single article: incitement of insurrection. The vote was 232-197, with 10 Republican House members voting to impeach — the most bipartisan presidential impeachment in American history. The Senate trial in February 2021 ended with a vote of 57-43 in favor of conviction — a majority of the Senate, including 7 Republicans, found Trump guilty of inciting an insurrection against the United States government. The two-thirds threshold required for conviction — 67 votes — was not reached. Trump was acquitted. Three years later, he was elected to a second term.

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232House votes to impeach — January 13, 2021
197House votes against impeachment
57Senate votes to convict — February 13, 2021
43Senate votes to acquit — 67 needed for conviction
7 Republican Senators Who Voted to Convict Trump

Richard Burr (NC) · Bill Cassidy (LA) · Susan Collins (ME) · Lisa Murkowski (AK) · Mitt Romney (UT) · Ben Sasse (NE) · Pat Toomey (PA)

McConnell voted to acquit on the grounds that the Senate lacked jurisdiction to try a former president — then gave a floor speech after the acquittal that many read as the most damning indictment of Trump's conduct from any Republican leader. He said Trump had been "practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day" and that Trump had "fed lies" to the people who attacked the Capitol and "watched television happily" while the attack unfolded. Having declared he lacked the power to convict Trump, he then described behavior that he said made Trump "morally responsible" for the insurrection.

Every senator who voted to convict faced political consequences within the Republican Party. Bill Cassidy was censured by the Louisiana Republican Party within days of his vote. Mitt Romney faced years of harassment, eventually retiring from the Senate and publicly calling Trump "the most dishonest person" he had ever encountered in public life. The seven Republican senators who voted their conscience paid a price. The 43 who voted to acquit largely did so knowing Trump was guilty — Senator Mitch McConnell's own post-acquittal speech confirmed as much — and chose party over accountability. Trump ran for president again and won.

Verification note

This post distinguishes between documented facts, allegations, and analysis. Where motive, intent, corruption, or illegality remains disputed in the public record, the text attributes that judgment to court findings, official records, direct quotes, or the reporting linked below.

The Sources
  • House vote — January 13, 2021; 232-197; Congressional Record; 10 Republican yes votes documented.
  • Senate vote — February 13, 2021; 57-43; Congressional Record.
  • McConnell floor speech — February 13, 2021; "practically and morally responsible"; "watched television happily"; full text Congressional Record.
  • Cassidy censure — Louisiana Republican State Central Committee, February 20, 2021.
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