Does Trump want to be impeached again? Donald Trump, famously, was impeached twice during his first term in office. Of the four presidential impeachments in American history, two of them were of Trump within two years.
As evidenced by Trump’s political comeback, which landed him in the White House again, it’s clear that impeachment isn’t something that can stop Trump’s political momentum; nor can indictments, convictions, scandals, controversies, or numerous other things.
However, one commentator — on the Wall Street Journal’s conservative editorial page — is arguing not only that Trump could be impeached again, but that he wants that outcome.
Trump: Impeachment III?
“Trump Wants to Be Impeached Again” is the headline of a column published over the weekend by the Wall Street Journal, under the byline of Holman W. Jenkins, Jr., a member of the newspaper’s editorial board, which has historically opposed trade restrictions and tariffs, even when Republican presidents propose them.
What would be the cause of Trump’s impeachment, per Jenkins? The current tariff war.
“A future Trump impeachment seemed all but guaranteed by last Wednesday morning,” Jenkins writes. “It seems only slightly less likely now. It may even be desirable to restore America’s standing with creditors and trade partners.”
In the piece, Jenkins never quite gets around to explaining how, exactly, Trump’s tariff policy could lead to his impeachment. The standard for impeachment is “high crimes and misdemeanors,” and the tariff policy, while certainly unadvisable, is neither.
There’s a possibility that Congress could pick a fight with Trump over who has the power to levy tariffs, but there’s been no hint so far that the Republican leaders in either house of Congress are preparing for any sort of confrontation of that nature. Congress is not even mentioned at any point in Jenkins’ essay.
One Congressman Speaks Out
With Republicans who are exceedingly loyal to Trump in charge of both houses of Congress, an earnest impeachment effort against Trump is highly unlikely to happen anytime soon, at least before the next Congress is seated in 2027.
One member of Congress, Rep. Al Green (D-TX), announced at a rally earlier this month that he was preparing articles of impeachment against Trump, after hinting he would do so a few weeks earlier. The reason for the impeachment plan, according to Green’s earlier comments, was Trump’s Gaza policy, and had nothing to do with tariffs.
Green was the House member who interrupted Trump’s address to Congress last month and was later formally censured by the House.
As Green himself acknowledged at the rally, his impeachment effort is unlikely to go anywhere. MSNBC reported this week that some other Democrats in Congress are starting to use the “I” word, and a group of citizen activists have launched a campaign called Operation Anti-King. It involves voters calling their Congressional representatives and asking them if they support the impeachment of Trump.
“We didn’t mince words. Trump is a tyrant and Congress should impeach and convict him for his tyrannical behavior. We have provided Congress with an article of impeachment for this purpose,” the campaign’s website says. They also offer an “Article of Impeachment” which accuses the president of “tyranny,” with several examples, ending with “he has sought to replace, in purpose and effect, the sacred oath of loyalty to the Constitution with an oath of loyalty to himself personally, and to his absolute, unchecked, despotic power.”
But once again, such an effort is unlikely to progress, as long as Congress remains in Republican hands.
A History of Long Shots
It appears to be a new feature of politics that backbenchers of the opposition party launch long-shot impeachment efforts.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-TX) introduced multiple resolutions to impeach President Joe Biden during his presidency, including one on the day he was sworn in. At one point, Greene and Lauren Boebert got into a confrontation on the House floor, over their rival long-shot impeachment resolutions.
House Republicans later launched a half-hearted impeachment inquiry, centered around the overseas business ties of Biden’s son Hunter and other relatives, but that never progressed to the House floor.
About the Author: Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
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