UMVA has learned that President Donald Trump is seeking to expunge the two impeachments from his first term from the congressional record through a resolution, a move that could potentially rewrite history and clear his name.
“It should be done because I did nothing wrong,” Trump said when asked about the resolution in a phone call. “It was a rigged deal—it was a whole rigged situation.” His comments suggest that he feels strongly that the impeachments were unfair and politically motivated.
The Democrat-led House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump in December 2019, citing allegations that he had wrongfully tried to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into investigating Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden for alleged corruption. However, Zelenskyy later stated that he felt no pressure from Trump and opened no investigation into the Bidens.
The second impeachment came in January 2021, when the House accused Trump of inciting the January 6 Capitol incursion. However, Trump's defenders argue that his words at a “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House were meant to inspire peaceful protest, not violence.
The Senate ultimately voted not to convict Trump following both House impeachments, but the effort to expunge them from the record is seen as part of a wider campaign to clear Trump's name and erase perceived black marks on his record. His lawyers are also working to overturn a criminal conviction and reverse unfavorable civil rulings.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has discussed the resolution with Trump, saying that it makes sense given the evidence that has come to light. “We were saying it at the time, now we know. And they make a very compelling case that it should be expunged from the record, because it was a hyperpartisan attack job,” he said.
Harvard Law School professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz has argued that Trump does have grounds to have the 2019 impeachment expunged based on recently released documents. “It’s never been done. I don’t see any reason why it couldn’t be done,” he said, adding that history may ultimately vindicate Trump.
Recently released documents appear to show that former Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson “weaponized” the whistleblower process and “manufactured a conspiracy” to instigate Trump's impeachment. The documents have sparked renewed debate about the legitimacy of the impeachments and the motivations of those involved.
The effort to expunge Trump's impeachments is seen as a bold move, one that could have significant implications for the country's politics and its understanding of the presidency. As the debate continues, one thing is clear: Trump's legacy is still very much up for debate.
