Impeachment

Impeachment is the constitutional mechanism for removing the president, vice president and other civil officers, including federal judges, for "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." It works like an indictment followed by a trial, with the House as prosecutor and the Senate as jury.

The House begins by adopting articles of impeachment by simple majority, usually after committee investigation and hearings. The Senate then holds a trial, with House members as managers and the senators as jurors; when the president is tried, the Chief Justice presides. Conviction requires a two-thirds vote of senators present and results in removal, and the Senate can also vote to bar the person from future office by majority vote. The penalty is limited to removal and disqualification, but a convicted official can still face criminal prosecution.

The House has impeached presidents Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump (twice, in 2019 and 2021), and the Senate has never convicted a president. Disputes continue over what counts as a high crime or misdemeanor, whether an official who has left office can be tried, and how partisan the process has become. It is a key checks and balances tool, and the Senate's own role is distinct from advice and consent.