As the full session impeachment vote in the 435-member House of Representatives is drawing nearer, many people are scratching their heads about what is going to happen next. Will President Trump indeed leave his post if the House votes in favour of his removal?
Here is what you need to know.
- The vote in the House of Representatives is just a step in the whole impeachment process. Currently, the Democratic Party, which is the leading force behind Trump's impeachment, holds a majority of seats in the lower house of Congress. To move forward with impeachment, the House needs a simple majority in the vote.
- If the majority does vote for the president's impeachment, then he is considered impeached, or in other words indicted, but this does not automatically mean that Donald Trump will have to leave office, as he will then face another step - a trial in the Senate.
- The Senate, unlike the House of Representatives, is controlled by Republicans. According to US legislation, two-thirds of the Senate is required to oust Trump from office.
- However, if the Senate fails to condemn Trump, he will retain his position, although he will still technically be impeached - just as two former US Presidents - Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton.
14 November 2019, 23:59 GMT
President Andrew Johnson was impeached in 1868 for "high crimes and misdemeanours", but was acquited by the Senate.
More than a hundred years later, President Bill Clinton was similarly impeached - over the notorious Lewinsky scandal - but was also acquited.
President Nixon was another head of the US government who faced impeachment in the wake of the infamous Watergate scandal. He, however, resigned before he could be impeached.
