The impeachment process of a U.S. President involves three main steps:
- The House of Representatives conducts an investigation or impeachment inquiry into the President's conduct. This may involve committees gathering evidence and hearing witnesses.
- The House votes on articles of impeachment, which are formal charges against the President. If a simple majority of members present vote in favor of any article, the President is officially "impeached."
- The Senate then holds a trial presided over by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. House members act as prosecutors, the President has legal defense, and the Senate serves as the jury. A two-thirds supermajority vote in the Senate is required to convict the President.
If convicted, the President is removed from office and the Vice President assumes the presidency. The Senate may also vote to disqualify the individual from holding future federal office by a simple majority. The process does not prevent the President from facing criminal prosecution separately. Grounds for impeachment include "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors," though specific definitions are left to Congress's discretion. The process is designed as a rigorous check on presidential misconduct with procedural protections to avoid partisan misuse.
