23 photos show the key moments of Trump's impeachment so far

The inquiry centers around whether Trump's attempts to get Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter amount to an impeachable offense.
Three witnesses have given public testimony so far Bill Taylor , acting US ambassador to Ukraine; George Kent , deputy assistant secretary for Europe and Eurasian affairs; and Marie Yovanovitch , former US ambassador to Ukraine. Several more are scheduled to give testimony this week.
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Trump's impeachment inquiry is well underway.

The House of Representatives is investigating whether President Donald Trump pressured Ukraine's president to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, by threatening to withhold $400 million in military aid.

Hearings hit television for the public to watch last week, and witnesses and questioners are under intense scrutiny.

So far, three witnesses have given televised testimony Bill Taylor, acting US ambassador to Ukraine; George Kent, deputy assistant secretary for Europe and Eurasian affairs; and Marie Yovanovitch, former US ambassador to Ukraine. At least nine more are scheduled so far in the weeks to come.

Democrats are hoping the publicized hearings will convince the public that Trump should be impeached. Republicans are trying their best to distract and make the case that Trump should stay in office.

Here's a look at the process so far, in photos.

On September 24, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Congress was launching an impeachment inquiry to look into an anonymous complaint that accused President Donald Trump of pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. She said Trumps actions had betrayed his oath as president, national security, and the integrity of US elections.

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Andrew Harnik / AP

Source: PRI

Trump was accused of withholding $400 million in military aid unless Ukraine investigated former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter for corruption. The two leaders happened to meet at the UN on September 25.

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REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Sources: Business Insider , Business Insider

That same day, the White House released a memo detailing the call. It showed Trump told Zelensky the US did "a lot for Ukraine," and the phrase, "I would like you to do us a favor though."

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REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

The impeachment inquiry began behind closed doors, much to Republicans chagrin. Democrats said they began with confidential testimonies to maintain the integrity of the investigation. Explosive information still leaked out, though.

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Patrick Semansky / AP

Sources: PRI , Business Insider , The New York Times

On October 23, tensions boiled over, when a group of 30 Republicans stormed a closed-door meeting, and delayed testimony by five hours over safety concerns.

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AP Photo/Susan Walsh

Sources: Washington Post , Business Insider

On October 31, the House of Representatives voted 232-196 in favor of formalizing the impeachment inquiry. This meant the next stage of the proceedings would be outlined, and included the plan to make the hearings public. Trump tweeted that it was "The Greatest Witch Hunt in American History."

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Mark Wilson / Getty

Sources: Business Insider , CNBC

On November 13, the hearings went public. This raised the stakes. When former President Richard Nixons impeachment was televised, 80% of America tuned in for at least some of the hearing.

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Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Sources: PRI , The New York Times

By televising the hearings, the Democrats were giving the public a direct look at the key figures, the process, and the allegations, hoping it would sway the public to support impeaching the president.

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Robert F. Bukaty / AP

Source: Business Insider

Rep. Adam Schiff heads the House Intelligence Committee and is playing a key role in the proceedings. The Washington Post described his methodical approach as bringing a "prosecutors sensibility" to the role, by staying calm and refusing to be baited.

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Caroline Brehman / CQ-Roll Call Inc / Getty

Sources: The Atlantic , The Washington Post

The public hearings began with Bill Taylor, the acting US ambassador to Ukraine. Taylor confirmed the quid pro quo between Trump and Ukraine, and said in his entire career, spanning decades, he had never seen a president do as Trump had done.

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Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla

Source: Business Insider

George Kent, a deputy assistant secretary for Europe and Eurasian affairs, gave his testimony alongside Taylor. It focused on former New York Mayor Rudy Giulianis attempts to get information about the Bidens from Ukraine. He clarified that it was a personal mission of Giulianis to get the damaging information, and not US foreign policy.

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Reuters/Jonathan Ernst

Sources: Business Insider , Business Insider

Kent also drew attention for his yellow and blue bow tie, and his 48-ounce Nalgene water bottle.

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AP Photo/Susan Walsh

Source: Business Insider

Republicans used a variety of defenses to confuse and distract during the hearings, including characterizing Taylor and Kents testimonies (which were given under oath) as inaccurate hearsay.

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Drew Angerer / Getty

Source: Business Insider

Another tactic was calling for the anonymous whistleblower to publicly testify. Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, one of the most vocal Republicans during the hearings, said it was a sad day for the country that they would never get a chance to question the whistleblower, whom he described, despite not knowing the persons identity, as biased against Trump.

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J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Source: Business Insider

Democratic Rep. Peter Welch of Vermont shot back and said, "I say to my colleague, Id be glad to have the person who started it all come in and testify President Trump is welcome to take a seat right there." His response was greeted with laughter.

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AP Photo/Susan Walsh

Source: Business Insider

Former US Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch testified on November 15. She said she was removed from her post because she got in the way of efforts by the Trump administration to get Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. But while Trump said he had lost confidence in her, she said shed done nothing wrong, and called her ouster a "smear campaign."

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Andrew Harnik / AP

Sources: The Wall Street Journal , PRI

Daniel Goldman, director of investigations for the House Intelligence Committee, was a key interviewer during the hearings, and got the most from Yovanovitch.

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Susan Walsh / AP

Source: Business Insider

He asked her two key questions had she, in her 33 years as a foreign-service officer, ever had concerns about her job performance, and had she heard of a US president recalling an ambassador based on false allegations. To both she answered, "no."

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Associated Press

Source: Business Insider

Trumps past and current tweets played a part in the proceedings. As Trump attacked her in real time on Twitter, saying everywhere she went "turned bad," Yovanovitch was asked how she felt about the tweets.

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Joshua Roberts / Pool / Getty

Sources: Business Insider , Business Insider

She told the committee it was "very intimidating," to be publicly smeared. Experts told Business Insiders Eliza Relman that the tweets amounted to witness intimidation.

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Associated Press

Sources: Business Insider , Business Insider

Like Kent, Yovanovitch stayed hydrated in her nearly seven hours of testimony.

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Saul Loeb / AFP / Getty

When Yovanovitch finished her testimony, the audience and some members of Congress broke into applause, which is highly unusual.

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Win McNamee/Getty

Source: Business Insider

At least nine more testimonies are to come, including Vice President Mike Pences adviser Jennifer Williams, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, former US special representative to Ukraine Kurt Volker, and former NSC staffer Tim Morrison.

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Associated Press

Source: Business Insider

23 photos show the key moments of Trump's impeachment so far

Trump was accused of withholding $400 million in military aid unless Ukraine investigated former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter for corruption. The two leaders happened to meet at the UN on September 25.

That same day, the White House released a memo detailing the call. It showed Trump told Zelensky the US did "a lot for Ukraine," and the phrase, "I would like you to do us a favor though."

The impeachment inquiry began behind closed doors, much to Republicans chagrin. Democrats said they began with confidential testimonies to maintain the integrity of the investigation. Explosive information still leaked out, though.

On October 23, tensions boiled over, when a group of 30 Republicans stormed a closed-door meeting, and delayed testimony by five hours over safety concerns.

On October 31, the House of Representatives voted 232-196 in favor of formalizing the impeachment inquiry. This meant the next stage of the proceedings would be outlined, and included the plan to make the hearings public. Trump tweeted that it was "The Greatest Witch Hunt in American History."

On November 13, the hearings went public. This raised the stakes. When former President Richard Nixons impeachment was televised, 80% of America tuned in for at least some of the hearing.

By televising the hearings, the Democrats were giving the public a direct look at the key figures, the process, and the allegations, hoping it would sway the public to support impeaching the president.

Rep. Adam Schiff heads the House Intelligence Committee and is playing a key role in the proceedings. The Washington Post described his methodical approach as bringing a "prosecutors sensibility" to the role, by staying calm and refusing to be baited.

The public hearings began with Bill Taylor, the acting US ambassador to Ukraine. Taylor confirmed the quid pro quo between Trump and Ukraine, and said in his entire career, spanning decades, he had never seen a president do as Trump had done.

Kent also drew attention for his yellow and blue bow tie, and his 48-ounce Nalgene water bottle.

Republicans used a variety of defenses to confuse and distract during the hearings, including characterizing Taylor and Kents testimonies (which were given under oath) as inaccurate hearsay.

Democratic Rep. Peter Welch of Vermont shot back and said, "I say to my colleague, Id be glad to have the person who started it all come in and testify President Trump is welcome to take a seat right there." His response was greeted with laughter.

Daniel Goldman, director of investigations for the House Intelligence Committee, was a key interviewer during the hearings, and got the most from Yovanovitch.

He asked her two key questions had she, in her 33 years as a foreign-service officer, ever had concerns about her job performance, and had she heard of a US president recalling an ambassador based on false allegations. To both she answered, "no."

Trumps past and current tweets played a part in the proceedings. As Trump attacked her in real time on Twitter, saying everywhere she went "turned bad," Yovanovitch was asked how she felt about the tweets.

She told the committee it was "very intimidating," to be publicly smeared. Experts told Business Insiders Eliza Relman that the tweets amounted to witness intimidation.

Like Kent, Yovanovitch stayed hydrated in her nearly seven hours of testimony.

When Yovanovitch finished her testimony, the audience and some members of Congress broke into applause, which is highly unusual.

At least nine more testimonies are to come, including Vice President Mike Pences adviser Jennifer Williams, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, former US special representative to Ukraine Kurt Volker, and former NSC staffer Tim Morrison.

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