It’s every democratically elected president’s dream to finish their tenures. After the first tenure, presidents contest for the second term.
Being the president of the United States of America is a massive achievement. Most past presidents may even want to remain in power forever if they had the opportunity.
Unfortunately, the U.S. president can only spend eight years in office. That is two tenures, four years each. This is what the constitution states.
However, a president’s time in office can be cut short via impeachment. The House of Representatives may begin impeachment proceedings to unseat the president when the individual commits an impeachable crime.
Now, here’s the one question that most electorates are asking.
Can a president be re-elected after impeachment?
The answer is yes and no. Yes, if the Senate tries and convicts the president. Then they have to conduct a separate vote to stop the impeached president from participating in future elections.
However, if the Senate only convicts and impeaches the president, the individual can contest and be re-elected as president. The Senate has to conduct a special vote after impeaching the president to decide if to stop the convicted president from any federal office or not.
So, if the vote to decide if an impeached and convicted president should never run for federal office succeeds, the individuals can never run for any federal office in their lifetime.
However, if the vote fails or the Senate decides against conducting such votes, an impeached and convicted president can still run for office and be re-elected.
Can a President Vacate Office When Impeached?
Senate trial is another word for impeachment. If the House of Representatives have reason to believe the president has committed an impeachable crime, they may start impeachment proceedings.
However, being impeached isn’t the same as being convicted, removed from office, or barred from contesting for a federal office in the future.
The Senate requires two-thirds of votes to impeach and convict a sitting president. Once impeached and convicted, the president would have to vacate the office.
U.S. President Donald Trump got impeached twice, but he never left office. He’s the first president in the country’s history to be impeached twice.
Here’s what the constitution says.
A sitting president can be impeached by the Senate after the trial and removed from office or barred from holding any federal office if convicted of impeachable crimes. The impeachable crimes include bribery, treason, misdemeanor, or other higher crimes.
In Trump’s case, he was impeached and not convicted. He was acquitted in the second impeachment trial.
How are U.S. Presidents Impeached?
Impeachment is not something a sitting president would like to experience. Why? If convicted, it could be the end of the individual’s time in office or political career. But if acquitted, it means there’s no case against the president.
Impeachment proceedings involve the House of Representatives and the Senate. Now, here’s how it works.
The House of Representatives impeaches on a simple majority. They may start impeachment proceedings if they believe a sitting president has committed an impeachable crime.
However, the House of Representatives cannot impeach and convict a president. Instead, they have to impeach and move the matter to the Senate for trial to commence.
If the impeached president is found guilty and convicted, he would have to vacate the office. But then, only two-thirds of members of the Senate’s vote can decide this.
After being impeached, convicted, and removed from office, the Senate can add one more punishment.
The punishment would be to stop the impeached president from contesting for any federal office in the future. Senate members have to vote, and if two-thirds supports it, then the president cannot contest in any election or political office.
A Handy Tip: The U.S. Constitution states that the House of Representatives has the sole power to impeach. In contrast, the Senate has the sole authority to try every impeachment case brought before them.
Crimes That Can Get The United States President Impeached
Lawmakers can impeach a president for several crimes. These include bribery, corruption, treason, misdemeanor, and other higher crimes.
The House of Representatives may also start impeachment proceedings against a president if they believe they have committed an impeachable offense.
Donald Trump was accused of several crimes and was later acquitted. He was charged with abuse of power, false claim that he won the year 2020 election, and that he encouraged the riot in the U.S. capitol.
Who Takes Over Office When A President Is Impeached?
The Constitution of the United States offers clarification on who can take over office when a sitting president vacates it.
The constitution state that if the president dies, removed from office, or resigns; the vice president is the direct successor and can take over.
Who can take over office if the vice president is unable to?
If the vice president weren’t capable, the president’s power and duties would move to the House of Representatives speaker, followed by the Senate president and then cabinet secretaries.
Do Presidents Give Up Their Benefits When Impeached?
Numerous benefits come with being the U.S. President. The president may also enjoy these benefits after leaving office. But the question is will the president retain these benefits once impeached, convicted, and removed from office?
The answer is no! A president convicted and removed from office by congress automatically loses all retirement benefits. But there’s a catch.
If a president facing impeachment resigns quickly before the trial results in removal from office, such a president would have all their retirement benefits intact.
The president’s early resignation would render the lawmakers powerless to revoke the benefits.
However, it’s a risky decision most presidents might not be willing to take. Why? The trial at the senate level might go both ways. In other words, it can end in the president’s favor.
Conclusion
Can a president be re-elected after impeachment? Well, it depends on the Senate. The House of Representatives has the power to impeach, but the Senate has to try all issues regarding impeachment.
If a sitting president is impeached by the House of Representatives, tried and convicted by the Senate, they must leave the office. But that doesn’t mean such a president cannot run for office if the opportunity presents itself. They can run for office.
If impeached and convicted, the Senate has to reconvene and conduct a separate vote to decide if the president should be barred from all federal offices in the future or not. However, the Senate would require a two-thirds majority of votes for such to happen.
