Impeachment is one of the most significant powers granted to Congress by the U.S. Constitution. It serves as a critical check on the executive branch, ensuring that no president, no matter how powerful, is above the law. The Constitution grants the House of Representatives the authority to impeach the president for treason, bribery, or “high crimes and misdemeanors.” If a majority of House members approve the articles of impeachment, the president is officially impeached. However, that does not mean they are removed from office. Only the Senate, following a trial, has the authority to convict and remove the president, and this requires a two-thirds majority vote.
Donald Trump made history as the only president to be impeached twice. The first impeachment occurred in 2019, when the House accused him of abuse of power over his dealings with Ukraine. The Senate acquitted him, and he completed his first term in office. Trump was impeached again in 2021, after the January 6 Capitol attack, but once again, the Senate voted to acquit him. Although he was acquitted both times, the fact that he was impeached twice remains a significant mark on his presidency.
Now, as Trump enters his second term, the possibility of a third impeachment has arisen. The Constitution does not place any limit on how many times a president can be impeached, so if new allegations or issues emerge, the House can move forward with articles of impeachment again.
While it’s unlikely that a Republican-majority Senate would convict Trump, the possibility of impeachment remains a key tool that Congress can use to hold any president accountable. No president has ever been removed from office through impeachment alone, but Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 under the threat of impeachment, demonstrating the power of the process. If Trump were to face conviction, the Senate could also vote to bar him from holding future public office.
Impeachment is not just a political weapon—it’s an essential safeguard to protect our democracy. Whether or not it leads to removal, it ensures that presidents remain accountable to the people they serve.