House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday that President Donald Trump could face impeachment again if Republicans lose their majority in the House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections.
“If we lose the House majority, the radical left, as you’ve already heard, is going to impeach President Trump. They’re going to create absolute chaos. We cannot let that happen,” Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, told attendees at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest conference.
Kiersten Pels, the Republican National Committee’s national press secretary, echoed that message in a statement to Newsweek, arguing that Democrats would focus on impeachment efforts rather than issues like costs and border security if they regain control of Congress. She said Americans could expect “obstruction, impeachments, and government shutdowns” instead of the priorities voters supported last year.
Why It Matters
Even if Democrats were to win the House majority and approve articles of impeachment, Trump’s removal from office would still require a two-thirds vote in the Senate—an outcome widely viewed as unlikely.
Trump was impeached twice during his first term, in 2019 and again in 2021. In both cases, the Senate voted to acquit him.
What to Know
Earlier this month, 140 House Democrats voted against tabling a motion seeking to impeach Trump. The effort did not advance: 214 House Republicans voted to table the measure, six Republicans did not vote, 23 Democrats voted to table it, and 47 Democrats voted “present.”
Representative Al Green, a Texas Democrat, introduced the articles of impeachment, which included two counts. One accused Trump of abusing presidential power after a Truth Social post that described several Democratic lawmakers as engaging in “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH.” The White House said Trump was not calling for their execution.
The second article accused Trump of undermining judicial independence by publicly attacking federal judges online.
While a large share of House Democrats voted against tabling the resolution, top Democratic leaders voted “present.” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said in a joint statement before the vote that impeachment is a “sacred constitutional vehicle” that typically requires extensive investigative work, document review, witness examinations, hearings, and sustained public engagement. They argued that none of that had occurred, and criticized the Republican majority for “rubber stamping” Trump’s agenda.
What People Are Saying
Johnson, speaking at AmericaFest on Sunday: “Everything is on the line in the midterms in 2026, and we have much more to do.”
Green, in a statement on December 11: “While the House ultimately tabled my impeachment resolution, the diversity of support for this impeachment includes ranking members of full committees, subcommittees, and persons from different political caucuses. This should send a powerful message to President Trump. He should understand now that targeting people is not only harmful to the people he targets, but also harmful to the continuation of his presidency.”
What Happens Next
The 2026 midterm elections are scheduled, in large part, for November 3.
