US President Donald Trump has declared that he could face a third impeachment if Democrats win control of the United States Congress in the 2026 midterm elections, framing the contest as existential for his presidency and party.
In a lengthy address to House Republican lawmakers, the US president issued a stark warning that losing the midterms could expose him to renewed impeachment efforts by Democrats, citing their purported political determination and strategic acumen.
Trump Frames Midterms As Survival Battle For Presidency
At what aides described as a House Republican policy retreat in Washington, DC, Trump told lawmakers that Republicans must hold or expand their narrow House majority to protect his legislative agenda and political future.
'You've got to win the midterms, because if we don't win the midterms... they'll find a reason to impeach me. I'll get impeached,' Trump said.
The president's remarks came as Republicans hold only a slim five-vote majority in the House of Representatives. All 435 seats in the House and one-third of the Senate are on the ballot in November's election, and recent polls have shown voter dissatisfaction with the economy and rising support for Democratic congressional candidates.
Historic patterns have seen the incumbent president's party lose ground in midterm elections, and political analysts see this as a major challenge for Trump's GOP.
Trump himself emphasised this trend in his remarks, questioning public opinion while urging Republicans to sharpen their campaign message.
Democrats Could Reassert Investigations And Impeachment Push
Democrats have already signalled interest in increasing oversight of Trump's administration and business practices if they regain control of the House, with some lawmakers publicly supporting fresh investigations.
Although no formal impeachment process is guaranteed, Trump's warning stresses the political reality that a Democratic majority would have the power to initiate impeachment proceedings.
If a Democratic-controlled House were to pursue impeachment, the constitutional mechanism would involve the lower chamber passing articles of impeachment by simple majority, followed by a Senate trial that would require a two-thirds majority to remove the president from office.
No American president has ever been removed by Senate conviction; Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 before the vote, and Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson were acquitted after trials.
Republican strategists have been preparing to use the impeachment threat as a campaign tool to motivate their base, reframing Democratic proposals as politically motivated attacks and arguing that Trump's agenda is being unfairly targeted. Such messaging is aimed at energising conservative voters who view impeachment efforts as partisan rather than substantive.
Democratic Leaders Reject Threat Narrative
Democratic leaders have dismissed Trump's warnings as part of a broader campaign tactic rather than a constitutional inevitability. House Democratic leadership has focused on issues such as healthcare, economic cost-of-living concerns and government accountability as potential grounds for impeachment or other oversight mechanisms should they regain control.
In public hearings marking the fifth anniversary of the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol, Democrats reiterated criticisms of Trump's refusal to fully acknowledge the events and his broader approach to governance. They have characterised his rhetoric as deflective and indicative of deeper vulnerabilities within his administration.
As the 2026 midterm election cycle develops, both parties are likely to elevate impeachment as a topic of debate, with Trump's comments already shaping campaign rhetoric and field strategies on both sides of the political divide.
Trump's warning that a Democratic victory could trigger his impeachment reframes the midterms not just as a contest for legislative seats, but as a potential turning point in American political history.
Trump cast the 2026 midterms as a referendum on whether he can continue to lead without facing the ultimate constitutional rebuke of impeachment once again.
