On the eve of the vote, Trump said he was being subjected to an "attempted coup" and a witch hunt.
In an angry six-page letter, the president told Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the Democratic-led House of Representatives, that "history will judge you harshly".
Good marks and reviews on the letter I sent to Pelosi today. She is the worst! No wonder with people like her and Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, D.C. has been such a mess for so long - and that includes the previous administration who (and now we know for sure) SPIED on my campaign.
Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2019
The letter came just minutes before Pelosi announced that the House would vote Wednesday.
"The House of Representatives will exercise one of the most solemn powers granted to us by the Constitution as we vote to approve two articles of impeachment against the president of the United States," Pelosi said in a letter to Democratic colleagues on Tuesday.
"During this very prayerful moment in our nation's history, we must honor our oath to support and defend our constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic," she added.
Allegations include obstruction and withholding evidence
Trump is accused of attempting to force Ukraine into investigating a main 2020 reelection rival, Joe Biden.
He is also accused of obstructing Congress by refusing to cooperate with the impeachment investigation, barring staff from testifying and holding back documentary evidence.
The two articles of impeachment are certain to pass in the House, where Democrats hold a firm majority.
That will send the case to the Senate, where a trial of Trump is expected to open in January, and his acquittal is equally expected, given the Republicans' control there.
The precedents, in case you were wondering . . .
Andrew Johnson survived an impeachment effort by one vote in 1868. Richard Nixon wisely resigned before they could run him out in 1974 in the wake of Watergate. And Bill Clinton survived a sex scandal in 1998, going on to complete two terms in office.
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