House Speaker Mike Johnson, a close ally of President Donald Trump, warned that Trump could face impeachment if Republicans lose control of the House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections.
Johnson delivered the message while speaking to conservative activists at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest conference in Phoenix. He framed the midterms as a high-stakes fight not only over Republican control of Congress, but over Trump’s political future—arguing that Democrats would quickly pursue impeachment if they win back the House.
Impeachment returns as a midterm flashpoint
Johnson’s remarks highlight how impeachment is once again being used as a rallying point ahead of the 2026 elections. Republicans are leaning on the threat to energize supporters and protect their narrow House majority, while Democrats remain split over whether impeachment should be pursued—and if so, when.
Even if Democrats regained the House and voted to impeach Trump, removal from office would still be a steep climb: conviction in the Senate would require a two-thirds majority, a threshold Democrats are widely seen as unlikely to reach.
Johnson’s warning and the GOP message
At the Phoenix conference, Johnson argued that a Democratic takeover would trigger political turmoil.
“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 said.
His comments aligned with a broader Republican strategy that portrays Democratic oversight as partisan obstruction rather than legitimate scrutiny.
Kiersten Pels, the Republican National Committee’s national press secretary, echoed that stance in a statement, saying Democrats have “made it clear that if they regain power, their agenda won’t be bringing down costs or securing the border — it will be launching partisan impeachment crusades against President Trump and his administration.”
Democrats divided over impeachment push
In December, the House voted to table an impeachment resolution introduced by Rep. Al Green of Texas. The measure was blocked after 214 Republicans voted to table it, joined by 23 Democrats. Meanwhile, 140 Democrats voted against tabling the resolution and 47 voted “present.” Six Republicans did not vote.
Green’s resolution included two articles: one accusing Trump of abusing presidential power tied to a Truth Social post that referred to certain Democratic lawmakers as engaging in “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH,” and another accusing him of undermining judicial independence by attacking federal judges online.
But top House Democrats declined to support the effort. In a joint statement, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Whip Katherine Clark, and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said impeachment requires “a comprehensive investigative process” that had not taken place.
Trump’s prior impeachments
Trump has been impeached twice before—once in 2019 and again in 2021—and was acquitted both times by the Senate.
After the vote, Green argued that the level of support still mattered, saying it should “send a powerful message” to the president.
With the House majority up for grabs, impeachment is likely to remain a political pressure point as both parties sharpen their strategies heading into the 2026 midterms.
