The US House voted Wednesday to send articles of impeachment against Donald Trump to the Senate, a key step in Democratic efforts to remove the president for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

Lawmakers split largely along party lines, 228 to 193, in a vote that will allow a historic Senate impeachment trial of Trump to begin in the coming days.

"This is as serious as it gets for any of us," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told the chamber shortly before the vote. "It's not political, it's not partisan, it's patriotic."