Many presidents have faced impeachment resolutions; fewer have been subjected to actual impeachment inquiries. Here's what happened to them.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced on Tuesday that a trio of committees will open a formal impeachment inquiry against Biden. This development propels Congress toward a long-shot effort to remove the Democratic president following two previous impeachment inquiries.
Several U.S. presidents, including Trump, have been impeached by the House but failed to reach the two-thirds majority required for conviction. Impeachment is a significant step in the process, but it does not necessarily result in removal from office. The Senate trial, where a conviction is sought, is the subsequent stage.
Only three U.S. presidents have been formally impeached by Congress—Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump. Out of these, only Clinton and Trump faced Senate trials, with both ultimately being acquitted. Andrew Johnson narrowly avoided conviction by a single vote, securing his presidency.
Eight U.S. presidents have faced impeachment efforts throughout history. However, impeachment does not always progress to a full inquiry. It can be seen as a political tool used by opposition parties to express discontent or challenge a president's actions.
On January 13, Donald Trump became the third President in American history to be impeached and the first President to be impeached twice. The first impeachment charge against Trump was for abuse of power, and the second was for incitement of insurrection.
The House of Representatives has initiated impeachment proceedings on over 60 occasions. However, impeachment of federal officials resulted from those inquiries, not just presidents. Presidents have faced impeachment inquiries less frequently but have garnered significant attention due to their position of power.
Throughout U.S. history, a few instances have occurred where a sitting president was put on trial. While impeachment is the common process for initiating such a trial, it does not guarantee removal from office. Conviction requires a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate, which has proven difficult to achieve.
In summary, impeachment inquiries have been initiated against several U.S. presidents, but only three have been formally impeached by Congress. Out of those three, only two faced Senate trials, with both being acquitted. Impeachment is a powerful tool in the hands of Congress, used to hold presidents accountable for their actions, but conviction remains a challenging threshold to cross.
