Associated PressHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched the House of Representatives into a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump on Tuesday, acquiescing to mounting pressure from fellow democrats and plunging a deeply divided nation into an election year clash between Congress and the commander in chief.
The probe centers on whether Trump abused his presidential powers and sought help from a foreign government for his reelection, actions Pelosi said would mark a “betrayal of his oath of office.” She declared: “No one is above the law.”
Pelosi had long resisted pursuing impeachment, but her caucus moved swiftly in favor of a probe in recent days following reports that Trump asked Ukraine’s president to investigate democratic foe Joe Biden and his son. Her decision sets up her party’s most urgent and consequential confrontation with a president who thrives on combat, and it injects deep uncertainty in the 2020 White House race.
President Trump reacted swiftly to Speaker Pelosi’s announcement that the democrat-controlled House is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry.
Trump noted that Pelosi’s announcement came as he met with world leaders at the United Nations on Tuesday. He tweeted that “the Democrats purposely had to ruin and demean it with more breaking news Witch Hunt garbage. So bad for our Country!”
Calls for an impeachment inquiry have intensified following reports that Trump may have sought a foreign government’s help in his reelection bid. Trump insists he has done nothing wrong. He said he’ll release a transcript of his phone call with Ukraine’s president.
Trump tweeted: “They never even saw the transcript of the call. A total Witch Hunt!”
