The US House of Representatives has launched impeachment proceedings against US President Donald Trump.
In a special address, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said an official impeachment inquiry would examine whether President Trump sought Ukraine's help to smear former Vice-President, Joe Biden - the frontrunner for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.
"This week, the President has admitted to asking the President of Ukraine to take actions which would benefit him politically," she said.
"The actions of the Trump Presidency revealed the dishonourable fact of the President's betrayal of his oath of office; betrayal of our national security and betrayal of the integrity of our elections.
"Therefore today, I am announcing that the House of Representatives is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry.
She said the President "must be held accountable" adding "no-one is above the law."
She also claimed that President Trump's actions had "seriously violated the constitution" and amounted to "a betrayal of our national security."
Tune in as I speak live from the U.S. Capitol. https://t.co/j6UMq4TC5u
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) September 24, 2019
It comes after a whistleblower submitted a complaint believed to be related to a phone call between President Trump and the Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky on July 25th.
Reports in the US say President Trump repeatedly asked his Ukrainian counterpart to investigate unsubstantiated charges that Mr Biden threatened to withhold US aid unless a prosecutor, who was looking into a gas company his son was involved in, was fired.
President Trump has insisted the call was “friendly and totally appropriate” and did not involve any pressure on President Zelensky.
He has said he will release a “complete, fully declassified and unredacted” transcript of it tomorrow.
PRESIDENTIAL HARASSMENT!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2019
