Donald Trump has been acquitted by the Senate of obstructing Congress and abusing the power of his office as president.

The vote brings to an end the third presidential impeachment trial in US history that bitterly divided the country, and comes as the president is in the early days of his re-election campaign.

The Senate, run by the president's fellow Republicans, voted 52-48 to acquit Mr Trump of abusing his powers and 53-47 of obstructing Congress, meaning the 73-year-old remains in office.

Image: Donald Trump tweeted this when he was acquitted at his impeachment trial

Image: Senators voted to clear Donald Trump on both charges

Mr Trump was accused of freezing Congress-approved aid to pressure Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden, one of the front runners for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, and impeding the inquiry into the matter by blocking witnesses and documents sought by the House of Representatives.

Had Mr Trump been convicted of either charge, he would have been removed from office and vice president Mike Pence would have been elevated to the presidency.


Following the result, Mr Trump wrote on Twitter that he would be making a public statement on Thursday "to discuss our country's VICTORY on the impeachment hoax".

He also posted an animated video using a Time magazine cover to suggest he will indefinitely be running for re-election and would remain in office "4EVA".

Image: Donald Trump tweeted a video suggesting he will indefinitely run for re-election

It was not the first time he had shared the video on social media,

He also tweeted it earlier this year on 27 June - the same day as the first Democratic presidential debate.

The White House described the impeachment process as "another witch-hunt that deprived the president of his due process rights and was based on a series of lies".

It also called for "retribution" against those Democrats behind the impeachment bid, which it said was "aimed at overturning the results of the 2016 election and interfering with the 2020 election".

Image: Protesters gathered outside the US Capitol after the Senate's vote to acquit Donald Trump

Image: A protest against the impeachment acquittal outside city hall in Los Angeles

The result was little surprise in the Republican-controlled Senate.

In an early sign of partisanship on the first day of the trial, the Republican-controlled Senate had rejected several Democrat bids for more witnesses to expose the US president's alleged abuse of power and the covering-up of his actions.

However, Republican Mitt Romney voted against the president on the abuse of powers charge in Wednesday's final impeachment vote in the Senate.

He said: "Corrupting an election to keep oneself in office is perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one's oath of office that I can imagine.

"In the last several weeks I've received numerous calls and texts, many demanding that I stand with the team. I can assure you that thought has been very much been in mind. You see, I support a great deal of what the president has done"

Romney: What Trump did was 'grievously wrong'

He added: "I voted with him 80% of the time but my promise before God to apply impartial justice required that I put my personal feelings and political biases aside.

"Were I to ignore the evidence that has been presented and disregard what I believe my oath and the Constitution demands of me for the sake of a partisan end it would, I fear, expose my character to history's rebuke and the centre of my own conscience."

Mr Romney voted with his party on the obstruction charge. None of the Democrats voted to acquit the president.

:: Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Spreaker

Democrats described the trial - which contained no new evidence or witnesses - as a "sham", with top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer last week saying: "We've never had a president, as I said, who's as vindictive and nasty as this one and he strikes fear in the hearts of a lot of people."

But Republican senator Lindsey Graham told his opponents they had "unleashed the partisan forces of hell".

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said: "The architects of this impeachment claimed they were defending norms and traditions. In reality, it was an assault on both."

Mr Schumer said after the vote: "No doubt, the president will boast he received total exoneration. But we know better. We know this wasn't a trial by any stretch of the definition."

Has Trump become stronger through impeachment?

Mr Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing, is now the first impeached US president to seek re-election.

He is seeking a second four-year term in office in the 3 November election.

Sky News US correspondent Amanda Walker said: "The idea of a chastened Trump isn't getting much buy in - the idea of an emboldened one carries far more weight.

"This was a key part of the democratic impeachment managers' argument - let him get away with this and who knows what he'll try and pull off next.

"Donald Trump desperately wants to win the 2020 election. It's not just about victory for him anymore - it's about revenge against the party that exposed his behaviour and tried to bring him down."