5 FAQs about the latest attempt to impeach Donald Trump
Wait, didn’t that happen ages ago?
Just over a year ago, Trump was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives, which accused the president of seeking help from Russia to win the 2020 election and obstructing justice after investigations into accusations of foreign interference began. The U.S. Senate, which was controlled by Trump’s Republican party at the time, acquitted the president.
So what’s this latest impeachment attempt about?
Democrats are accusing Trump of inciting his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol - the country’s Parliament - as lawmakers were confirming Joe Biden to be the 2020 election winner. Trump said the rioters were “very special” people whom he loved. Five died in the riots, two pipe bombs were found, and more than 50 people were arrested.
Why bother impeaching Trump if he’s about to leave office?
Most likely, the impeachment process won’t be completed by January 20, when Trump’s term ends and Biden’s begins. But Democrats still want to have a go at impeaching Trump. If his impeachment is confirmed by the Senate, it could disqualify him from future office, meaning he would be unable to run for president in 2024.
Can the Democrats actually impeach Trump?
Both the House of Representatives and the Senate need to impeach Trump for the proceedings to have any effect. The Democrats have the numbers in the House, but they need 67 of the 100 Senators to support impeachment articles. Recent elections in Georgia mean the Democrats will have 50 Senators by the end of the month, which in all likelihood isn’t enough. Senate Republicans, who have already warned that moves to impeach Trump so late in his presidency are divisive, have rarely voted against him.
Can Trump do anything to avoid impeachment?
Presidents can pardon criminals - meaning they can overturn any court decision that found their conduct unlawful. No president has ever self-pardoned, and there’s a debate among constitutional scholars over whether they legally can. Scholars do say, though, that you can pardon someone for prosecutions that haven’t yet led to legal proceedings. And Trump said in 2018 he had the “absolute right” to pardon himself - so there’s a chance Trump decides to pardon himself before leaving office.