President Donald Trump and several Republican allies are discussing a congressional effort to symbolically expunge his two impeachments, arguing the actions were politically motivated, while critics maintain they cannot be erased from history.
According to people familiar with the discussions, lawmakers are considering introducing a resolution declaring Trump’s 2019 and 2021 impeachments void. Although such a measure would carry no legal effect, supporters believe it would formally reject what they view as partisan proceedings.
“It should be done because I did nothing wrong,” Trump said in a recent phone interview, describing both impeachments as “a rigged deal.” He later added that while he was not leading the effort, “If they want to do it, I’m honored by it.”
The proposal is not expected to advance until after the November election, and several Republican lawmakers have acknowledged it could face significant obstacles in Congress.
House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed he has discussed the idea with Trump, attorney Jay Sekulow, and Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz. Johnson said he believes the impeachment proceedings were flawed and that Congress should consider addressing them.
Trump remains the only U.S. president to have been impeached twice. The first impeachment, in 2019, centered on allegations that he pressured Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden, resulting in charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The Senate later acquitted him on both counts.
His second impeachment came in January 2021, when the House charged him with incitement of insurrection following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The Senate again voted to acquit after Trump had left office.
The expungement proposal follows broader legal efforts by Trump and his attorneys to challenge several actions taken against him in recent years, including appeals involving his New York criminal conviction and other civil cases.
Republican lawmakers have floated similar resolutions before. In 2023, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Rep. Elise Stefanik introduced comparable measures that did not advance.
Supporters of the latest effort point to recently declassified materials related to the first impeachment investigation. Alan Dershowitz and journalist John Solomon argue the documents raise new questions about key witnesses and could support congressional action, though Dershowitz has acknowledged uncertainty over whether Congress has the constitutional authority to expunge impeachments.
Many constitutional scholars reject the proposal. University of North Carolina law professor Michael Gerhardt argued that impeachment is a completed constitutional process that cannot be reversed, calling the idea legally unsupported and emphasizing that the historical record cannot be changed.
Even if introduced, an expungement resolution would likely have no legal consequences. However, it would reignite debate over two defining moments of Trump’s presidency and further intensify the ongoing political dispute surrounding his legacy.
