Trump is pushing to have Congress ‘expunge’ his impeachments - even without a law saying its possible

Key Points:

• Former President Donald Trump is urging his allies to have his two impeachments "expunged from the record," calling them "phony attacks" and a "rigged deal," despite no constitutional procedure existing for such an action.
• Trump was impeached twice by the Democratic-led House—first in 2019 over Ukraine-related abuse of power allegations, and again in 2021 for incitement of insurrection—but was acquitted by the Senate both times.
• Speaker Mike Johnson has discussed the expungement plans with Trump and legal advisors, describing the impeachments as "sham" and suggesting Congress should correct what he sees as a hyperpartisan attack, though it is not a legislative priority before the midterms.
• Legal experts, including a law professor at UNC Chapel Hill, have dismissed the idea as "absurd" and historically unprecedented, emphasizing that Congress does not have the power to void past impeachments.
• The proposal has met mixed reactions within the Republican Party, with some members like Rep. Don Bacon calling it "silly" and acknowledging that impeachments are part of history, while Trump continues to criticize Democratic impeachment efforts on social media.