To impeach President Donald Trump in the United States, the constitutional process involves several steps:
- The process begins in the House of Representatives, which has the sole power to impeach. Any member of the House can initiate an impeachment inquiry or propose articles of impeachment. The House Judiciary Committee typically investigates and drafts the articles of impeachment, which contain formal charges of "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors" as the Constitution specifies.
- The full House of Representatives then votes on the articles of impeachment. A simple majority vote (more than half) is required to approve the impeachment. If the House votes to impeach, the president is formally impeached but not yet removed from office.
- Following impeachment by the House, the case moves to the Senate, which holds a trial. For a president's impeachment trial, the Chief Justice of the United States presides. The Senate hears evidence, witnesses, and arguments from House-appointed managers (prosecutors) and the president's defense.
- The Senate then votes on whether to convict. Conviction requires a two-thirds supermajority of the senators present. If convicted on any article of impeachment, the president is removed from office, and the Senate may also vote to disqualify the president from holding future federal office.
This process is political and constitutional, not criminal. It is intended as a mechanism to remove a president who seriously threatens the safety and security of the nation. The phrase "high crimes and misdemeanors" is broadly interpreted to include serious abuses of power or breaches of trust. In modern history, President Trump was impeached twice by the House but was acquitted by the Senate in both trials. Impeachment requires coordination in the House, majority support to impeach, and a substantial two-thirds majority in the Senate to convict and remove the president.
