The Truth About Donald Trump's Ability To Run For President In 2024 If Impeached Again
Chances are you've probably seen the tweet floating around on Twitter claiming that the act of impeaching sitting President Donald Trump again would bar him from running for president in 2024. Well, let's just say the situation is a bit complicated.
The tweet in question, penned by Twitter user Ben Costiloe, read, "For those wondering if it's worth impeaching him this time, it means he: 1) loses his 200k+ pension for the rest of his life 2) loses his 1 million dollar/year travel allowance 3) loses lifetime full secret service detail 4) loses his ability to run in 2024." As reported by CNN, the now-viral tweet came after many House Democrats called for the second impeachment of Trump following the U.S. Capitol riots that resulted in five deaths, including that of United States Capitol Police Officer, Brian Sicknick, according to ABC News.
So what's the real story about Trump's ability to run for president of the United States in 2024? Keep reading after the jump to find out.
Barring Trump from 2024 is legally complicated
First, let's go wayyy back — as in 7th-grade civics class — point out that the act of impeaching a president does not constitute an immediate removal of the said president. After the House votes to impeach, the Senate would have to vote — with a two-thirds majority — to convict and remove him. Even if that happens, it doesn't mean Trump is immobilized. "Neither a second House impeachment nor even a Senate vote to convict Trump and remove him from office would prevent him from running again, in 2024 or beyond," CNN reported.
As TIME reported regarding the Senate potentially preventing Trump from running again: "The Constitution doesn't prescribe a two-thirds majority vote for that, and in the past, the Senate has used a simple majority for disqualification." The problem with that? "If the Senate were to vote to disqualify a President from future office with a simple majority, it would be unprecedented, and it could set off a high-stakes battle in the courts." It's worth noting here that the Senate has never removed a president from office, according to CNN.
Making matters more complex? The Senate has only ever disqualified judges from holding future office, the outlet noted, and it's unclear whether the position of president falls under the constitution's guidelines for disqualification. To put it simply, potentially barring Trump from running again is a legally complicated matter.