Updated
Jan 26, 2021
Can A Former President Be Impeached? The Precedent For Trump's Senate Trial
Republicans argue that Donald Trump cannot be impeached because he's no longer in office. Democrats call that "a constitutional get-out-of-jail-free card."
The Senate’s process to impeach former President Donald Trump officially began on Monday, when the House formally delivered articles of impeachment to the upper chamber.
There’s little debate about the central facts of the matter. Trump spent months telling his supporters the election was stolen, then on Jan. 6, riled up a mob that later stormed the U.S. Capitol to try to stop the electoral count and overturn the election results. In the House, 222 Democrats and 10 Republicansvoted to impeach Trump for “incitement of insurrection.” Even several Senate Republicans have said what Trump did was wrong, although some argue it was not an impeachable offense.