The United States Senate has received from the House of Representatives a single article of impeachment accusing Donald Trump of inciting the storming of the Capitol, setting in motion the first-ever impeachment trial of a former president.
The article was delivered on Monday by the nine House impeachment managers, led by Representative Jamie Raskin.
Reading out the charges against Mr Trump, Raskin said “Donald John Trump engaged in high crimes and misdemeanours by inciting violence against the government of the United States.”
“He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power and imperilled a coequal branch of government.”
The Senate trial of the 74-year-old Trump, who was impeached by the Democratic-majority House on January 13 for an unprecedented second time, is to begin the week of February 8.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the 100 members of the Senate, who will act as jurors, will be sworn in on Tuesday and a summons issued to Trump.
Democrats and Republicans agreed to delay the start of the trial for two weeks to allow Trump to prepare his defense against the charge of “incitement of insurrection,” and for the Senate to confirm President Joe Biden’s cabinet appointees.