Verified snapshot · October 30, 2026
Israel Civic Atlas USA USA

Concepts made simple

10 of 20

Impeachment

The House charges, the Senate tries. Impeachment is the accusation, not the removal.

The president, vice president and civil officers, including judges, for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

All steps in text
  1. The president, vice president and civil officers, including judges, for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
  2. A committee investigates and drafts articles of impeachment. A simple majority of the House approves them. That vote is the impeachment.
  3. Senators sit as the court. House members act as prosecutors. When a president is tried, the Chief Justice presides.
  4. Two thirds of the senators present must vote to convict. The penalty is removal from office. A further simple majority can bar the person from federal office.
  5. Three presidents have been impeached, one of them twice, and none convicted. Eight federal judges have been removed.

✗It seems that Impeachment means removal from office.

✓Actually It means the House has charged. Removal takes a two thirds vote in the Senate, which has never happened to a president.

Why it matters

Impeachment is the only way to remove a president between elections. The two thirds threshold is why it rarely goes beyond the House.

See it in the data

Source: Senate: impeachment role (October 30, 2026) · National Archives: Constitution (October 30, 2026) · House Historian: individuals impeached (October 30, 2026)

Verified snapshot: October 30, 2026. The explanations are written in plain language from official sources and are not legal advice. Each concept lists its sources.

What next?

Related concepts