WHYV HASN'T DONALD TRUMP BEEN IMPEACHED
Executive summary
Donald Trump has not been removed from office through impeachment because impeachment is a political process that requires specific congressional math and sustained will to pass articles in the House and then convict in the Senate — obstacles that defeated prior efforts and remain central today [1] [2] [3]. Ongoing resolutions and public discussion signal attempts continue, but party control, institutional precedent, and changing personnel make a new, successful impeachment difficult absent a decisive shift in facts or electoral outcomes [4] [5] [6].
1. The constitutional mechanism exists but is political, not purely legal
The Constitution empowers the House to impeach and the Senate to try and convict a president, and scholars and congressional offices have repeatedly framed impeachment as a remedy for "high crimes and misdemeanors," not a criminal conviction [3]. That constitutional framework was used twice against Trump in his earlier term; in both cases the House impeached but the Senate acquitted, demonstrating that legal allegations alone do not guarantee removal without Senate votes to convict [1] [2].
2. Past outcomes set a high bar: impeachments have failed to remove him before
Trump's two prior impeachments ended without conviction: the House impeached him twice and the Senate acquitted him both times, giving him political breathing room and a practical precedent that even serious charges can fall short in the Senate [1] [2]. The fact that several Republicans who once voted to impeach are no longer in Congress underlines how personnel turnover has reshaped the Hill and made bipartisan impeachment coalitions harder to assemble today [6] [2].
3. Congressional math and party control determine the near-term prospects
Impeachment requires a House majority to pass articles and a two‑thirds Senate majority to convict; therefore, which party controls each chamber is decisive. News coverage has focused on the midterms as a pivotal determinant, with Trump himself warning Republicans they must hold Congress or face renewed impeachment efforts from Democrats — an admission that electoral control drives impeachment calculus [7] [8] [9]. Until Democrats possess the combination of will and seats required, impeachment efforts face structural limits [4].
4. Political incentives and messaging shape decision-making in Congress
Lawmakers weigh legal evidence against political risk: for many Republicans the political cost of pursuing or supporting impeachment — losing primary voters, alienating the president's base, or opening a perpetual campaign cycle — outweighs the perceived benefits, a dynamic reporters attribute to the survival and resurrection of Trump's political career after earlier impeachments [2] [8]. Conversely, Democrats may hesitate to pursue impeachment without overwhelming public support or clear new offenses, mindful that past impeachments did not translate into removal [1] [3].
5. Ongoing efforts exist, but they compete with electoral strategy and limited new levers
Congressional resolutions and public calls for impeachment continue — for example, H.Res.353 in the 119th Congress formally alleges "high crimes and misdemeanors" against Trump — signaling that legislative mechanisms remain active even if success is uncertain [4] [5]. Media outlets track shifting odds and documents that could influence momentum, but reporting also shows that headline discussions and political rhetoric (including Trump saying he'll be impeached if Republicans lose midterms) are entangled with campaign strategy, not solely legal adjudication [9] [7].
6. The bottom line: impeachment is as much about power as it is about proof
The persistent answer to why Trump hasn't been (or been successfully) impeached away from office is straightforward in the record: impeachment requires aligned political majorities and durable will; past failures, partisan loyalty, and upcoming midterm calculations have so far prevented a repeat that leads to removal, even as investigations and resolutions continue [1] [2] [4]. Reporting indicates that unless election results shift chamber control or new, galvanizing evidence emerges, impeachment efforts are likely to remain a live but uphill political option rather than an imminent constitutional conclusion [8] [9].