Sinn Fein's Mr Martin McGuinness survived a motion of no confidence in him as Education Minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly this evening.
The Democratic Unionist motion was rejected by 45 votes to 31, with 40 SDLP and Sinn Fein MLAs and five cross community MLAs rejecting it.
A total of 31 unionists, including three Ulster Unionist MLAs, supported the DUP's motion.
Under Assembly rules, the motion would have needed to have been passed on a cross community vote with 60 per cent support from the entire body and at least 40% of the nationalist and 40 per cent of the unionist blocs.
Afterwards DUP Assembly member Nigel Dodds, who wound up the debate, claimed the lack of Ulster Unionist support proved Mr Trimble's resignation threat was an "electoral stunt".
The North Belfast MLA reacted: "The fact that there were only three Ulster Unionists prepared to vote with us exposes David Trimble's plan for what it really is - a device for the UUP to avoid voting against Martin McGuinness being expelled from the government of Northern Ireland.
"I think what it shows as we enter the election campaign is that when it comes to the hard reality of having to cast a self-confessed terrorist out of the government the UUP run away."
PA