You’ve probably heard the word "impeachment" tossed around so much in the last few years that it’s started to lose its punch. It sounds like a legal execution, right? Like the moment the gavel hits, the moving trucks pull up to the White House and it’s game over.
Honestly, that’s not how it works at all.
Most people think being impeached is the same thing as being kicked out of office. It isn’t. Not even close. Basically, if we’re looking at what happens if president gets impeached, we have to separate the "charge" from the "conviction." Think of it like a grand jury indictment. If a president is impeached, they’ve been formally accused of a crime or a serious abuse of power. They haven't been found guilty yet. They’re still the president. They still have the nuclear codes. They still fly on Air Force One.
The House Starts the Fire
Everything begins in the House of Representatives. There isn't one set way this starts, but usually, a committee—often the Judiciary Committee—investigates the president’s actions. They’re looking for "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." That last part is famously vague.
Once they’ve dug up enough dirt, they write "Articles of Impeachment." These are essentially the specific counts of the indictment. If a simple majority of the House (50% plus one) votes "yes" on even one of those articles, the president is officially impeached.
It’s a huge scarlet letter.
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But, as we saw with Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump, you can be impeached and still show up to work the next day. In fact, all three of them finished their terms. Why? Because the House only has the power to accuse. They don’t have the power to convict.
The Senate Trial: Where the Teeth Are
The second half of what happens if president gets impeached is where things get real. The action moves to the Senate.
This isn't just a normal debate. The Senate turns into a courtroom. The Senators aren't just politicians anymore; they’re the jury. They take a special oath to be impartial, though if you've watched C-SPAN lately, you know "impartial" is a bit of a stretch in modern Washington.
- The Judge: The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the trial.
- The Prosecutors: A group of House members, called "Managers," act as the prosecution.
- The Defense: The president brings in their own high-powered legal team.
- The Jury: All 100 Senators.
For a president to actually be removed from office, the Senate needs a "supermajority." That means two-thirds of the Senators present must vote to convict. In a 100-member Senate, that’s 67 people.
That is a ridiculously high bar.
It’s designed that way on purpose. The Founding Fathers didn't want a president to be tossed out just because the opposing party had a tiny majority and was feeling grumpy. They wanted it to be a national consensus. This is why, in the history of the United States, no president has ever been convicted by the Senate and removed. Richard Nixon came the closest, but he resigned before the House could even vote on the articles because he knew the Senate count was against him.
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What Actually Changes if They Are Convicted?
If that 67-vote threshold is ever met, the "what happens" part becomes very dramatic and very fast.
First, the president is removed immediately. There is no "two-week notice." The Vice President is sworn in right away under the 25th Amendment.
Second—and this is a part people often miss—the Senate can hold a separate vote to disqualify that person from ever holding federal office again. This only requires a simple majority. So, if a president is removed, the Senate can effectively "ban" them from running in the next election.
There are also some massive personal hits to the former president. Under the Former Presidents Act, ex-presidents get a pension (around $220,000+ a year), office space, and staff. But there’s a catch. If you are removed via impeachment and conviction, you lose that pension. You lose the travel budget. Interestingly, you might still keep Secret Service protection, as that’s handled under a different set of security laws, but the "perks" of the job vanish.
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The 2026 Reality Check
In the current political climate of 2026, the process feels more like a weapon than a rare constitutional "break glass in case of emergency" tool. We've seen multiple resolutions introduced in the 119th Congress, like H.Res. 939 and H.Res. 537, targeting various alleged abuses.
The reality is that impeachment has become deeply partisan.
When people ask what happens if president gets impeached today, the answer is often "a lot of noise and not much movement." Because the Senate is so evenly split, reaching that 67-vote mark is nearly impossible unless the president does something so egregious that their own party turns on them.
Why It Still Matters (Even Without a Conviction)
Even if the Senate acquits, an impeachment isn't "nothing." It cripples a presidency.
- Legislative Paralysis: It is almost impossible to pass major bills when the entire West Wing is focused on legal defense.
- The History Books: It’s a permanent stain. Only a handful of names in American history carry the "impeached" tag.
- The Midterms: Impeachment usually fires up the "base" of both parties, leading to massive shifts in the next Congressional election.
Actionable Insights: How to Track the Process
If you're watching an impeachment unfold in real-time, don't get distracted by the talking heads. Watch the "Whip Counts."
- Check the House Judiciary Committee: If they aren't holding hearings, the impeachment isn't real yet. It's just rhetoric.
- Monitor Moderate Senators: In a trial, the 5 or 6 "swing" senators are the only people who actually matter. Their public statements are the only true bellwether of whether a conviction is possible.
- Read the Articles: Don't rely on summaries. Read the actual text of the Articles of Impeachment on Congress.gov to see if the charges are for specific crimes (like bribery) or broader "abuse of power" claims.
Impeachment is the ultimate constitutional "reset" button. It’s messy, it’s loud, and it’s meant to be hard. Understanding that it’s a two-stage process—accusation in the House, trial in the Senate—is the first step to cutting through the political theater.
To keep tabs on the latest proceedings, you can check the House Clerk’s website for live vote tallies or follow the Senate Daily Digest for trial schedules. Knowledge of the specific rules of the "High Court of Impeachment" will help you spot when a procedure is being followed—or when it’s being manipulated for the cameras.