Impeachment debate starts in Congress, five Republicans to vote against Donald Trump

With a vote on impeachment due within hours, multiple members of Donald Trump's own party have revealed they will vote to get rid of him.

Picture: AP Photo/Steve Helber)

The US House of Representatives is now considering the article of impeachment against President Donald Trump, with a vote to follow later today.

Democrat Jim McGovern, who chairs the House's rules committee, was the first to speak this morning.

"This was not a protest. This was an insurrection. This was a well organised attack on our country that was incited by Donald Trump. Domestic terrorists broke into the Capitol, and it's a miracle more people didn't die," Mr McGovern said.

"I saw evil. Our country came under attack, not from a foreign nation but from within. These were traitors. And they were acting under the orders of Donald Trump.

"Some of my colleagues on the other side have suggested that we just move on from this horror. But to gloss over it would be an abdication of our duty. Others have talked about unity. But we can't have unity without accountability, and I'm not going to be lectured by people who just voted to overturn the result of a free and fair election.

"America was attacked and we must respond, even when the cause of this violence resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue."

The article of impeachment is expected to pass, as the Democrats have a majority in the chamber. On top of that, five Republican members have announced they will support impeaching the President.

Congressman Jamie Herrera Beutler, from Washington's 3rd District, is the latest Republican to endorse the impeachment.

"The President of the United States incited a riot aiming to halt the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next. These terrorists roamed the Capitol, hunting the Vice-President and the Speaker of the House," she wrote in a letter explaining her stance.

"I believe President Trump acted against his oath of office, so I will vote to impeach him."

She joins Fred Upton, Adam Kinzinger, John Katko and, significantly, the third-highest ranking House Republican Liz Cheney.

Last time Mr Trump was impeached, the vote had no support from Republicans.

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