“ Trump Impeachment Party ” became one of the top trending terms and hashtags on Twitter Wednesday following reports that evidence has surfaced showing direct communication between then-candidate Trump’s campaign staff and Russian intelligence officials during the U.S. Presidential campaign. Twitter has been Trump’s favorite mode of communication throughout his presidency, but Wednesday’s spontaneous impeachment party planning session is just the latest barrage of criticism being hurled at the President via the social media platform.
Comedian John Fugelsang, who has been openly critical of the President, warned that a Trump Impeachment Party could leave the country with a major hangover:
Just remember that Pence is all the evil, half the narcissism & none of the entertainment value. #TrumpImpeachmentParty
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) February 15, 2017
The term “Trump Impeachment Party” started trending following the release of a New York Times report stating that “American law enforcement and intelligence agencies” have uncovered phone records as well as intercepted calls that point to “constant” communications between Trump’s associates and Russian intelligence officers over the course of the 2016 campaign. The F.B.I. and multiple Congressional committees are currently looking into claims that these communications may have caused interference in the election.
The story, and the Trump Impeachment Party trend, came just one day after the resignation of Trump’s National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and a report from the Washington Post stating that Acting Attorney General Sally Yates warned the White House that Flynn was vulnerable to potential blackmail from Russian officials following unauthorized communications with the Russian ambassador. It hasn’t been much of a party kind of week for the Trump White House with the Flynn resignation, the leaked security documents, and Labor Secretary nominee Andy Puzder withdrawing his name from consideration for the post.
President Trump smacked back at the “Trump Impeachment Party” tweets by attacking the legitimacy of both the New York Times and the Washington Post reports on Wednesday via his own Twitter account.
This Russian connection non-sense is merely an attempt to cover-up the many mistakes made in Hillary Clinton’s losing campaign.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2017
He also tweeted that the leaks were a sign of illegal activity on the part of the NSA and FBI and then pivoted to accuse the Obama Administration of being too “soft” on Russia.
Crimea was TAKEN by Russia during the Obama Administration. Was Obama too soft on Russia?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2017
Many of the Trump Impeachment Party tweets featured GIFs of Democrats including former President Barack Obama:
When you realize #TrumpImpeachmentParty is trending pic.twitter.com/m4M3ryWnb4
— Chris Smith (@Lilyachttty) February 15, 2017
When Obama hears about the #TrumpImpeachmentParty . pic.twitter.com/tQxCPHYzNN
— Ademola K. (@KingSK88) February 15, 2017
Twitter users kept tweeting about the potential pending impeachment party on Thursday following President Trump’s press conference proclaiming the stories as “fake news”:
Me everytime I try to listen to Trump speak. #trumppressconference #TrumpImpeachmentParty #resist pic.twitter.com/qx4fu4qK65
— Jules F. (@JulesQuincy) February 16, 2017
Before Trump detractors start making official impeachment party plans, though, it should be noted that no President has ever been removed from office by impeachment. For Trump to be impeached, a simple majority of the U.S. House of Representatives and a two-thirds majority of the U.S. Senate vote would be required.
President Bill Clinton was subjected to impeachment proceedings in 1998 for accusations that he lied to a federal grand jury about his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky during his testimony in a sexual harassment lawsuit by Paula Jones. Clinton was acquitted. President Andrew Johnson was also subjected to impeachment hearings for his decision to remove Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton from office. Johnson was acquitted by the grace of one Senate vote.
Clinton’s impeachment hearings took three months, so if the current Russian intelligence scandal does lead to impeachment for Trump, there could still be quite a wait before that party gets into full swing.