What Is The Impeachment Process: Will It Tell Donald Trump ‘You’re Fired’?

We are just one-month into Donald Trump’s presidency, and no one would suggest that Trump’s first month in office has been smooth. The 45th president of the United States took office against a background of the most controversial presidential election in recent history. President Trump has attracted a huge amount of criticism over several executive orders, most notably over the decision to issue a travel ban affecting seven predominantly Muslim countries. Trump has also drawn fire for allowing an oil pipeline to be laid through Native American land, for his attacks on the media, and for starting the process to build a wall along the Mexican border.

Perhaps the oddest thing about Trump’s first month in office is the fact that he has drawn criticism for taking early steps to follow through on campaign promises. Whatever the reason, CNN claims that Trump is setting records, but they are records that he won’t take much pleasure from. President Trump’s “approval rating” has already dipped. Just 38 percent of American’s think he is doing a good job, while 55 percent think he is not.

The first 100-days in office are normally regarded as a “honeymoon” period. Most voters recognize that a new administration takes time to bed in, and many of those who voted against Trump are willing to give the new man a chance, to see how he shapes up as the most powerful person on the planet. It is, of course, in everyone’s interest, that Donald Trump becomes a successful president.

One could hardly call the New York Times a fan of Donald Trump, but they voice the concerns of many over the Trump administration’s contact with Russia. They claim that U.S. intelligence agencies have records of Trump’s team being in contact with Russian intelligence officials. Apparently, those intelligence agencies are now investigating “whether the Trump campaign was colluding with the Russians on the hacking or other efforts to influence the election.”

If that is proved to be the case an impeachment process could begin against Trump.

What Is The Impeachment Process, Could It Lead To Trump Being Fired?

The process of impeachment is far from simple, but the impeachment process can be started in a number of ways. Impeachment is the process of removing a “civil officer” from office, and the impeachment process is laid out in the U.S. Constitution. Obviously, as the president of the United States, Donald Trump is a civil officer.

The House of Representatives can bring formal charges against a civil officer, through an article of impeachment. This can be brought by any member of the Chamber, and the Washington Times reports that Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota said that he “is open to the calls to initiate an impeachment process against President Trump.” Other members of the house have also called for impeachment proceedings against President Trump.

If an article of impeachment is drawn up against President Trump, then the House Judiciary Committee would investigate to see if there are grounds for impeachment. If the impeachment process goes to a vote then a simple majority in the House of Representatives would see the impeachment process move to the Senate for trial. If Trump were found guilty by the Senate, then he could be removed from office and Vice-President Pence would become president.

Teen Vogue report that impeachment proceedings have been taken against two U.S presidents. Both Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were impeached by the House of representatives, and both were acquitted by the Senate. No president has been removed from office as the result of an impeachment process, but President Richard Nixon would likely have been the first in the wake of the Watergate scandal. Nixon resigned soon after three articles of impeachment were approved.

If Donald Trump is subjected to the impeachment process, he could be removed from office, but history tells us that it is unlikely. Of course, Trump has already made history by being the first U.S. president to take office with absolutely no political experience. Time will tell if Trump will also make history by being the first president to be removed from office by the impeachment process.

[Featured Image by Evan Vucci/AP Images]