Trump Warns of Impeachment if Republicans Lose Midterms
MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina — President Donald Trump told supporters at a rally on Friday that he expects to be impeached if Democrats gain control of Congress in the November midterm elections. Speaking in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Trump said, "I'm going to be impeached. They're going to impeach me. They have no idea why."
The remarks came during a campaign event for Darline Graham, who is seeking election to the Senate. Graham, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, was appointed to the seat in July and now faces a run-off election on Tuesday after failing to win the primary outright.
Trump framed the election as a critical moment, warning that a loss of Republican voter turnout would allow his political opponents to damage the economy and reverse his accomplishments. "If we lose, you're going to lose your border, you're going to lose your tax cuts, you're going to lose everything that we've done," he said. He also touted his administration's policies, including no taxes on tips, no tax on social security for seniors, and no tax on overtime. If Republicans lose, he argued, taxes would go up, pay would go down, jobs would be lost, businesses would close, and businesses would flee.
Trump is the first president in US history to face two impeachment proceedings. Both cases occurred during his first term, in 2019 and 2021, and were ultimately blocked by the Senate. The Democratic Party is widely predicted to win back control of the House of Representatives, with some pollsters narrowly favoring them to regain the Senate as well.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Democratic Party is divided about impeaching Trump, with some Democrats concerned about a backlash from voters or overshadowing priorities such as lowering prices.
Trump's appearance in South Carolina comes after three of his hand-picked candidates lost their Republican primaries this week. He urged supporters to "pretend" he was on the ballot, saying: "They say 'Trump does great when he's on the ballot, but when he's not on the ballot, his people don't come.' So what I really want you to do is pretend, please, that I'm on the ballot. Just come and vote."
Trump's endorsement was once feted as the most powerful weapon in conservative politics, but recent primary results suggest its influence may be waning.
Graham's campaign has faced scrutiny following a debate on August 25, during which she acknowledged she was "not that informed on national security" when questioned about Taiwan, a response that drew widespread criticism.