President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Republican lawmakers, stating that failure to secure a majority in the upcoming November midterm elections could lead to his impeachment.
Speaking at a Republican retreat in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Trump spoke about the stakes for his party in the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a narrow majority.
“You’ve got to win the midterms because, if we don’t win the midterms, it’s just going to be – I mean, they’ll find a reason to impeach me,” Trump said. “I’ll be impeached.”
Donald Trump’s Outlook For Mid-Term Elections
Trump enters the midterms with an approval rating estimated between 42 and 45 percent, according to various polls. However, several challenges loom, including signs of economic stagnation and backlash over the US military’s recent action to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which has drawn criticism.
Despite these concerns, Trump expressed confidence in Republican prospects. “We’re going to make history and break records with the epic midterm victory that we’re going to pull off,” he said.
He also questioned the public’s lack of support for Republican policies. “I wish you could explain to me what the hell is going on with the mind of the public, because we have the right policy,” he said. “They [Democrats] have horrible policy. They do stick together. They’re violent. They’re vicious.”
Understanding Impeachment in the United States
Under the US Constitution, the House of Representatives can impeach the president and other federal officials for misconduct, including “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” Once impeached, the president faces a trial in the Senate, which can convict and remove him from office with a two-thirds majority vote.
In the November elections, all 435 House seats will be contested, alongside 33 Senate positions. House members are elected from state-drawn districts based on population, while senators are elected statewide.
Over the past year, some Democrats have sought Trump’s impeachment for alleged misconduct, including June’s military strikes against Iran, which critics argued were not authorized by Congress. However, with the Democratic Party in the minority, no proposals have advanced.
Trump has faced impeachment twice before during his first term. No US president has ever been removed from office by the Senate. Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 amid the Watergate scandal before a Senate vote could occur. More recently, Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998 for perjury related to an extramarital affair but was acquitted by the Senate.
Donald Trump Resorting To Redistricting and Gerrymandering
In preparation for the midterms, Trump has advocated for Republican-controlled states to redraw congressional district maps to favor his party, a tactic known as gerrymandering. Critics argue that gerrymandering undermines democratic principles.
Several states, including Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina, have already passed redistricting plans to strengthen Republican candidates. Meanwhile, Democrats have pursued similar strategies in California, where a ballot initiative approved new district maps.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
