Fact check: How many US Presidents have been impeached for treason or other crimes?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, three US Presidents have been impeached: Andrew Johnson ^[1], Bill Clinton ^[2], and Donald Trump (2019 and 2021) ^{[3] [4] [5]}. However, no US President has been impeached specifically for treason ^[4].

The impeachments were for "High Crimes and Misdemeanors" rather than treason or bribery ^[4]. Specifically, both Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton faced impeachment charges for obstruction of justice ^[6]. Crucially, none of these presidents were removed from office following their impeachment ^{[7] [3] [5]}.

There appears to be some discrepancy in the sources regarding the total number of presidential impeachments, with one source mentioning "four presidential impeachments" while referring to the same three presidents ^[4], likely accounting for Donald Trump's two separate impeachments.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question specifically asks about impeachments for "treason or other crimes," but the analyses reveal important constitutional context that's missing from the question. The US Constitution specifies impeachment grounds as "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors" - a much broader category than just treason ^[4].

The analyses also provide crucial historical context about Richard Nixon, who faced impeachment proceedings but resigned before the House could vote ^{[4] [6]}. This represents an important case study in presidential accountability that the original question doesn't capture.

Additionally, one source mentions that Donald Trump is the first former US president to face criminal charges ^[8], which adds contemporary relevance to discussions of presidential legal accountability beyond the impeachment process.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains a subtle but significant misframing by asking specifically about impeachments for "treason or other crimes." This phrasing could mislead readers into thinking that:

• Treason has been a common impeachment charge - when in fact, no president has been impeached for treason ^[4]
• The constitutional standard is narrower than it actually is - the actual standard includes the broader category of "High Crimes and Misdemeanors"

The question also fails to distinguish between impeachment (formal charges) and removal from office, which are separate processes. This distinction is crucial since all impeached presidents remained in office ^{[7] [3] [5]}.

The framing could benefit those who wish to either minimize the significance of presidential impeachments (by focusing on the narrow "treason" category) or maximize public concern about presidential criminality (by conflating impeachment with criminal conviction).