# Republicans: What would it take to impeach Donald Trump? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 11, 2016, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505 "2016-11-11T15:46:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/21 "2016-11-11T18:50:37Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Yeah-Funny how, since he first started his campaign people have dismissed his every effort by saying pretty much the same thing, over and over and over again. > > Actually, it’s not really that funny any more. I don’t really understand your point here. You asked if I could imagine anything that would cause Republicans to impeach him. I gave an example. I said that his actual “first 100 days” proposals seem pretty bland, and I doubt they’d lead to impeachment. You said “that’s another topic.” Are you just trying to get people to brainstorm wild scenarios that might cause the Republicans to impeach Trump? Because that’s what that is: a wild (and extremely improbable) scenario. He’s probably not going to do anything that “goes too far” and causes Republicans to impeach him. So far it looks like he’s going to govern like a fairly regular Republican, with perhaps a bit more flair and some stupid tweets interspersed here or there. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/22 "2016-11-11T19:30:39Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Cute. > Seriously, is there anything he could do that would convince the Republicans to impeach him, or do you really believe he has and/or deserves a free pass? Trump would have to be (legitimately) accused of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. Hillary should not be given a free pass. Bill Clinton got off easy. Nixon should not have been given a pass/pardon. And Trump should not be given a pass. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/23 "2016-11-11T20:02:59Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Trump would have to be (legitimately) accused of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. > > Hillary should not be given a free pass. Bill Clinton got off easy. Nixon should not have been given a pass/pardon. And Trump should not be given a pass. When they make Hillary Clinton president, we can discuss impeaching her, okey dokey? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/24 "2016-11-11T20:31:07Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > I think a sex scandal is inevitable. Is that an issue anymore? Only if it involves a dead woman or a live boy. Especially the latter. If he really did commit incest with one of his daughters that would qualify too. Other solid evidence of Kremlin ties would probably be enough to get him thrown out of office. We’d still be stuck with Pence though. Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/25 "2016-11-11T20:31:10Z")
My realpolitik view is if they impeach him, it will because he isn’t useful to their business class agenda. The Republican party could care less if he commits crimes or violates the constitution. They will ignore it, make excuses, blame others, etc. He could literally shoot someone on fifth Avenue now, sexually assault a teenager on the white house lawn, etc and as long as he signs supply side tax cuts and deregulation the gop will refuse to impeach. But if Trump vetoes business friendly legislation consistently, or actually appoints anti business people to his executive, they will find an excuse to impeach and bring pence on board. But I doubt Trump pushes anti business agendas. He doesn’t care about policy or ideology, he just wants accolades. ---
**Author:** ![TheSeaOtter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed655f/32.png) [@TheSeaOtter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheSeaOtter)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/26 "2016-11-11T20:45:38Z")
> [@oft\_wears\_hats](#): > > Honestly, I assumed that the Republicans had been preparing to impeach Trump since he accepted the nomination. They’d probably love to get Pence in his place. I expected them to wait for Trump to provide them with a reason, then unload both barrels. I agree about what they want. President Trump is unpredictable and isn’t even really much of a conservative on a lot of issues. They’d love to kick him to the curb and let Pence implement their agenda. They can’t do it, though. They’re not stupid. They know that midterm elections tend to go against the party in power. They can’t afford to piss off the Trump supporters. No, they’re stuck with President Orange, and may he drag them down to the bottom of the sea of history like the big, dense lump of toxic waste that he is. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/27 "2016-11-11T21:14:59Z")
If he tries to make his son a _real_ Barron? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/28 "2016-11-11T21:23:14Z")
How about if he loses the Trump U fraud trial? That would present an unprecedented situation… ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/29 "2016-11-11T21:28:53Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > How about if he loses the Trump U fraud trial? That would present an unprecedented situation… That one’s easy. Trump does a temporary step-down, “President” Pence pardons him, things go back to normal. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/30 "2016-11-11T21:35:33Z")
I think he enters office at higher risk for impeachment than any President ever. The vast majority of Congress, in both parties, would feel more comfortable with Pence as President. They’re not going to overturn the election result because of Facebook petitions, but it’s not the near-unthinkable scenario it usually is when the President’s party controls Congress. I’m sure he would be impeached if he gets caught blatantly taking bribes or stealing money from the government, which I don’t consider an unlikely scenario. If he’s issuing blatantly unconstitutional executive orders, they’ll roll their eyes and let the courts shoot him down. If he tries to order government officials to ignore the courts, Congress will boldly and decisively do what their pollsters tell them to do. I can also see him being impeached not for any one particular reason, but just for being such an incompetent pain in the ass that they just find an excuse to get rid of him, like they tried to do with Bill Clinton. All in all, I don’t think it’s PROBABLE he gets impeached, but I’m not sure it’s worse than a 2-1 chance. ---
**Author:** ![Hooleehootoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/eada6e/32.png) [@Hooleehootoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hooleehootoo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/31 "2016-11-11T21:51:18Z")
> [@oft\_wears\_hats](#): > > Honestly, I assumed that the Republicans had been preparing to impeach Trump since he accepted the nomination. They’d probably love to get Pence in his place. I expected them to wait for Trump to provide them with a reason, then unload both barrels. > > > [@](#): > > > > Originally Posted by Marvin the Martian View Post > > Even if impeached, the Democrats in the senate would never convict him and put Pence in office. He scares us much more than Trump. > > I hadn’t considered this before, and it’s a great point. I think it hinges on just how destabilizing Trump turns out to be, but it would definitely thwart any pre-emptive GOP plan to swap in Pence. This, this, this, very much this +1. In a few months the greatest defenders of Trump against impeachment will be Democrats. Paul Ryan is a free trader. He doesn’t want to dump TPP/raise tariffs. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/32 "2016-11-11T22:42:42Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That one’s easy. Trump does a temporary step-down, “President” Pence pardons him, things go back to normal. The President can’t issue pardons for state crimes. Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![kurtisokc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kurtisokc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kurtisokc)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/33 "2016-11-11T23:36:09Z")
This is coming from a Republican who is guilty of underestimating Trump from the beginning, but who never supported him, and didn’t vote for him. That being said, for Trump to be impeached, he would have to have committed a “high crime or misdemeanor” while in office. You can’t impeach someone for being a loathsome, despicable human being. And I don’t think you can be impeached for anything done as a private citizen. The tone of the implies that Congress is negligent for not instigating impeachment proceedings against him already, but (not to be pedantic about it) for the love of Pete he hasn’t technically even been elected yet. (The electoral college doesn’t vote until December 19.) ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/34 "2016-11-11T23:37:10Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > How about if he loses the Trump U fraud trial? That would present an unprecedented situation… I thought the case was civil. Is it a criminal trial? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/35 "2016-11-11T23:52:38Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That one’s easy. Trump does a temporary step-down, “President” Pence pardons him, things go back to normal. You don’t understand the fraud trial, I take it? Can you explain how a pardon is remotely applicable here? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/36 "2016-11-11T23:53:49Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > The President can’t issue pardons for state crimes. > > Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk Do you think a governor’s pardon would help instead? ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/37 "2016-11-11T23:59:36Z")
> [@Hooleehootoo](#): > > This, this, this, very much this +1. In a few months the greatest defenders of Trump against impeachment will be Democrats. Paul Ryan is a free trader. He doesn’t want to dump TPP/raise tariffs. I posted before the election, without really thinking about it hard, that a President Trump would get impeached. But, really – no. Too much risk of being primaried. GOP primary voters would not at all like to see their President impeached for fulfilling his campaign promises, which is what it would probably amount to. Remember that he endorsed torture. Over and over. Remember that he has promised to to take the oil from ISIS. Over and over. I can’t see him doing something more shocking than what he already got elected to do. These may not be week-one priorities for him. But what is he going to do the next time ISIL-inspired militants massacre a few dozen of us on US soil? That my biggest immediately worry I’ve got. One longer term worry is that if he’s defeated in 2020, he’ll say it was rigged against him, and refuse to leave office. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/38 "2016-11-12T00:03:30Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > I posted before the election, without really thinking about it hard, that a President Trump would get impeached. > > But, really – no. Too much risk of being primaried. GOP primary voters would not at all like to see their President impeached for fulfilling his campaign promises, which is what it would probably amount to. He’s already back-tracking on his campaign promises. At the rate he’s going, he won’t have any left when he’s sworn in. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/39 "2016-11-12T00:12:24Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > One longer term worry is that if he’s defeated in 2020, he’ll say it was rigged against him, and refuse to leave office. That is worrisome. The only thing that gets a President to leave is his own honor. If Trump did decide to retain the office, there is really no legal way he could be removed. As commander in chief, the military would be legally obligated to follow his orders. He could order an armored division to surround the White House and keep out any local Police or Federal Marshals. The country has been very lucky so far that every President has chosen to gracefully depart; a President that refused could literally become a dictator for life with no real recourse from the country. Dark times indeed. Wait. Does that sound right? It seems like it wouldn’t be, somehow. What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505/40 "2016-11-12T00:26:26Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > The country has been very lucky so far that every President has chosen to gracefully depart; a President that refused could literally become a dictator for life with no real recourse from the country. > > Dark times indeed. > > Wait. > > Does that sound right? It seems like it wouldn’t be, somehow. What do you think? Thank you for such a friendly response. As to the answer, I think it is worrisome. I’m pretty sure the FBI rank and file is behind Trump. I’m very sure most of our soldiers are behind Trump. Will this still be true in four or eight years? Don’t know, but, probably, yes. Doesn’t our national police force, and military, also believe in rule of law? Well, yes, sure. But a strongman president, in a presidential republic, can convince a lot of people that the real threat to rule of law consists of the body of political opponents. Remember that lots and lots of Americans were convinced that utterly mainstream Hillary Clinton was the real threat to rule of law. Are we safer because the US is such a long-established democracy? I guess. But increasing wealth/income inequality, plus presidential republic = caudillo. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-what-would-it-take-to-impeach-donald-trump/771505.md?page=3)