President Donald Trump and his congressional Republican allies are intensifying discussions on a formal effort to expunge both of his impeachments from the House of Representatives record, framing the moves as necessary corrections to what they describe as politically motivated attacks.
The initiative has gathered significant traction in recent weeks, particularly after the Trump administration declassified materials tied to the first impeachment inquiry. Supporters argue the newly available documents erode the credibility of key witnesses and reinforce long-standing claims that the proceedings were driven by partisan motives rather than legitimate oversight.
“It should be done because I did nothing wrong,” Trump told The Wall Street Journal in a phone interview. “It was a rigged deal — it was a whole rigged situation.”
According to people familiar with the discussions, lawmakers do not plan to take up the measure until after the November midterm elections. Trump has amplified reports about the expungement push on his Truth Social platform but has downplayed his personal role in driving it forward.
“If they want to do it, I’m honored by it,” Trump added.
The House impeached Trump in December 2019 over his phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, charging him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. A second impeachment followed in January 2021 in connection with the January 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol. The Senate acquitted him in both cases.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said conversations about expungement have accelerated, including direct talks with Trump and prominent legal allies such as Harvard Law School professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz and attorney Jay Sekulow.
“I think it makes a lot of sense the more the evidence comes out, the more we know they really were sham impeachments,” Johnson told the Journal. “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.”
Johnson acknowledged that while the issue is not the immediate top priority on Congress’s agenda, it remains something lawmakers “should ultimately address” to set the record straight. “It is a priority and something that Congress should make right,” he said.
The renewed momentum follows reporting by conservative journalist John Solomon on declassified material related to the first impeachment. Trump shared video clips on Truth Social featuring Solomon and Dershowitz discussing the potential for expungement.
“I don’t see any reason why it couldn’t be done,” Dershowitz said in one of the clips. He later confirmed to the Journal that active efforts are underway.
In April, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) introduced a resolution that would declare both impeachments “expunged, as if such Articles had never passed the full House of Representatives.” The measure has attracted 23 Republican co-sponsors.
However, the proposal is not without internal GOP resistance. Retiring Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) dismissed the effort as “silly,” questioning its necessity.
“What happened is history,” Bacon told the Journal, suggesting some Republicans believe the party should focus on forward-looking priorities rather than revisiting past proceedings.
The debate underscores deeper divisions within Republican ranks over how aggressively to confront the legacy of Trump’s impeachments during his second term. Proponents view expungement as a symbolic and substantive rebuke of perceived congressional weaponization, while critics worry it could distract from more pressing legislative matters. Whether the resolution gains broader support after the midterms remains to be seen.
