Who has the power to impeach the president?

The power to impeach the president is vested in the House of Representatives. This process is outlined in the U.S. Constitution, specifically in Article I, Section 2, which grants the House the exclusive authority to initiate impeachment proceedings. The House can bring charges against the president, which is akin to an indictment in criminal law.

Once the House votes to impeach, the process then moves to the Senate, which holds the trial to determine whether to convict and remove the president from office. This two-step process of impeachment ensures that both chambers of Congress are involved, with the House responsible for the initial accusation and the Senate responsible for the subsequent trial. The involvement of both bodies reflects a system of checks and balances, intended to prevent abuse of power by the executive branch.