Trump’s impeachment

US President Donald Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives in a party-line vote on Wednesday, an outcome that was widely expected. A trial in the Senate will now decide whether or not he is removed from office. Trump is a polarising figure, not just because of his politics. He has done many things to offend those of good conscience, morality, diet, and even taste in fashion. But those are not the reasons he became the third US president to be impeached. It was because a whistleblower complained about getting “information from multiple US government officials that the President of the United States is using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 US election”.

It can reasonably be considered one of the most blatant abuses of power by a president. Investigations into the whistleblower’s revelations confirmed almost every assertion in the complaint. Some confirmations even came from members of the Trump administration, and not a single avowed nonpartisan was willing to back up Trump. Yet Republicans continue to peddle conspiracy theories to defend Trump, including denying things which Trump literally said in front of the world on live TV. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has gone as far as saying –on live TV — that the Senate trial will be rigged for Trump’s pleasure.

The Republican-controlled Senate is unlikely to impeach Trump unless 20 Republicans somehow cross party lines. It could happen — Republicans crossed party lines when Richard Nixon was facing impeachment, and he was not accused of crimes as severe as Trump. Even some Democrats facing tough election challenges were willing to risk their careers for the greater good of the country. But given the rhetoric coming from Republicans and right-wing media, it is unlikely. Also worrying is how opinion polling suggests that between the release of the whistleblower’s complaint and the impeachment, barely any change was seen in Trump’s approval rating or that of the House. The US political divide is so deep that even evidence of criminal conduct doesn’t matter to Trump voters. But as frightening as that may be, at least impeachment has marked Trump’s presidency with the permanent stain it deserves.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2019.

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