Trump Has Committed Impeachable High Crimes, But a Third Impeachment Requires Careful Strategic Justification
Source: Frank Bowman. "Trump impeachment 2027: Corruption, murder among potential charges.." August 17, 2026. slate.com
The Gist
The author argues that Trump has broken so many rules and abused his presidential power so extensively—through personal corruption, violating Congress's authority, attacking press freedom, and even authorizing deadly military strikes—that he clearly meets the constitutional bar for impeachment. However, the author notes that just because Trump's conduct qualifies as impeachable doesn't automatically mean Democrats should pursue a third impeachment; that's a separate strategic question about whether it would actually work and be worth doing.
Conclusion
Donald Trump has clearly committed numerous impeachable offenses in his second term, satisfying the constitutional definition of 'high Crimes and Misdemeanors,' though whether Democrats should actually pursue a third impeachment depends on a separate strategic analysis of purpose and achievability.
Premises
- Trump has engaged in personal financial corruption, including using his office to extort settlements, secure tax immunity for himself and his family, and profit over $1.4 billion from cryptocurrency schemes tied to regulatory favors and pardons.
- Trump has violated the domestic and foreign emoluments clauses by accepting lucrative gifts and business deals from foreign governments and by profiting from officials who patronize his properties.
- Trump has engaged in public corruption reminiscent of monarchical patronage, trading government favors (contracts, pardons, deregulation) for political and financial support.
- Trump has usurped Congress's constitutional 'power of the purse' by imposing tariffs without authorization, withholding appropriated funds, and canceling grants unilaterally, sometimes targeting political opponents.
- Trump has violated the Constitution's property clause by unilaterally authorizing destruction and construction on White House grounds without congressional approval.
- Trump has violated First Amendment protections by suing media companies, threatening broadcast licenses, and suppressing protest and dissent.
- Trump has authorized lethal military strikes on suspected drug smuggling boats without due process, resulting in over 200 deaths, which the author characterizes as criminal homicide.
- Trump has systematically undermined the rule of law by politicizing law enforcement agencies, attacking the judiciary, and denying due process to immigrants.
- Trump has continued to attack democratic norms, including by pardoning Jan. 6 co-conspirators, which the Framers explicitly identified as an impeachable pardon abuse.
- The cumulative pattern of these actions reflects a deliberate effort to dismantle checks and balances and establish autocratic power, which the Framers intended impeachment to prevent.
Assumptions
- The constitutional phrase 'high Crimes and Misdemeanors' should be interpreted broadly to include corruption, abuse of power, and threats to democratic structure, not just indictable crimes.
- Historical and originalist evidence (British constitutional practice, Framers' statements) is a valid and sufficient basis for defining impeachable conduct today.
- Actions taken via executive orders, agency directives, or military decisions that violate statutory or constitutional limits are properly impeachable rather than just subject to judicial or political correction.
- The alleged facts (financial figures, causal links between policy actions and personal enrichment, the characterization of military strikes as unlawful homicide) are accurate as presented.
- Congress's power to impeach is an appropriate remedy for a wide range of executive misconduct beyond just criminal law violations.