The Senate trial of President Bill Clinton began following his impeachment by the House of Representatives in December 1998. Clinton was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice, relating to his extramarital affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The scandal had come to light through news reports and subsequent investigations led by independent counsel Kenneth Starr, whose findings concluded that Clinton had lied under oath and tried to deceive investigators about the affair. The House's decision to impeach Clinton was largely partisan, reflecting deep political divisions in Congress at the time. The trial began with the Senate as jury, overseen by Chief Justice William Rehnquist, marking only the second time in U.S. history a sitting president faced such proceedings.As the trial unfolded, the Senate heard from House managers, who acted as prosecutors, laying out their case against Clinton. They argued that his actions had undermined the integrity of the office and constituted a breach of trust. Clinton's defense team countered by asserting that the charges were politically motivated and that his personal conduct did not rise to the level of an impeachable offense. The trial included extensive debate over the legality and appropriateness of evidence, with some senators calling for witnesses to testify. However, the majority opposed this, arguing that it would prolong the trial unnecessarily.The trial's climax involved the voting on whether to convict or acquit Clinton. Ultimately, the Senate acquitted him on both charges as it failed to reach the two-thirds majority needed for conviction. This outcome paved the way for the continuation of Clinton's presidency, allowing him to serve out the remainder of his term while remaining a deeply polarizing figure in American politics.