January 6th, 2021 will forever be a notorious day in American history.

WASHINGTON DC – A mob of Trump supporters stormed the United States Capitol in protest of the election results. In an attempt to overturn the that had allegedly been stolen in favor of the Democratic Party, radicalized Republicans stormed the building, forcing officials to evacuate.

In response to the events of January 6th, the House of Representatives made made filed for a historic second impeachment on January 13th, claiming that Trump incited the riot that occurred just a few days prior.

The goal of this impeachment was to connect Donald Trump’s words and actions to the Capitol riot. In the case, former President Trump’s active tweeting about a supposed stolen election was used as evidence to show his endorsement for outrage. Additionally, in the rallies he held right before the election took place, Democrats have accused him of using provocative language that ultimately led to the events just a few hours after. 

Rioters showing support for Former President Donald Trump at the Capitol Riot.

This impeachment trial was historic in that there was no precedent for impeaching a President who was no longer in office; additionally, this was the first occasion when any federal office holder has been tried for impeachment twice. Previously, impeachment – which is charging an official with misconduct during their time holding office – has only been used for those serving during the time of the trial.

On February 13th, 2021, Former President Donald Trump was acquitted, with only 57 votes as “guilty” – 10 less than needed. This outcome, although not enough to convict Trump for the second time, is significant in that 7 Republican Senate members voted for the impeachment. This discrepancy in party affiliation shows how the Capitol riot truly impacted American citizens. This incident, along with the four years of Trump’s presidency, has filtered radical Trump supporters from those who agree with conservative ideology both with citizens and government officials. In the wake of these last few months, the Republican Party has been divided. The outcome of the impeachment trial proves this with multiple bipartisan votes from Republican Senators.

As the dust settles, we see the extremity of this situation in the five deaths that occurred during the riot. Brian Sicknick (an officer) who was beaten to death by rioters, 3 Trump supporters who were shot by police, and a Trump supporter who suffered a medical emergency during the event.