Who has the power to impeach?

The House of Representatives holds the exclusive power to impeach a federal official, including the President, under the U.S. Constitution. This process is outlined in Article I, Section 2, which states that the House has the sole power of impeachment, meaning they initiate the impeachment process. The House conducts investigations and debates whether to bring charges against the official, and if a majority votes in favor, the official is impeached, which is essentially a formal accusation of wrongdoing.

Following impeachment by the House, the case then moves to the Senate, which holds the trial to determine whether to remove the official from office. It is important to understand that while both chambers of Congress play roles in the impeachment process, the initiation of impeachment itself is solely the responsibility of the House of Representatives, confirming their unique authority in this critical aspect of checks and balances within the government.