President Donald Trump has been on a mission to prove that he’s untouchable ever since he returned to the White House. He’s escaped three federal indictments, but after he leaves office in 2028, there’s still the looming potential that his legal troubles won’t stop.
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Ten months into Trump’s second term, his administration has already been sued over 200 times, according to Law Fare. The president has repeatedly been accused of disregarding the law and the constitution when it comes to his mass deportation agenda and National Guard deployment. Many have blamed him for the historic pause to SNAP benefits and hundreds of thousands of furloughed workers amid the government shutdown last month.
Like any American, however, Trump can be sued. After his first term, Trump famously was found guilty of fraud in 2022, and the court ordered Trump to pay out nearly $400 million. The ruling was later reversed, The Hill reported. He was also sued for 2020 election interference. His lawyers cited a Supreme Court’s ruling on immunity as grounds to dismiss the case on Friday (Nov. 26, the New York Times reported.
Even in his first term, Trump faced plenty of lawsuits and he even set the record for American presidents who have been impeached (2). There’s one move he hasn’t pulled in order to avoid further prosecution, however. The president could pardon himself to avoid all efforts to bring forth cases against him. In 2018, he tweeted, “I have the absolute right to PARDON myself.” He continued, “but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong?”
No president in U.S. history has ever pardoned himself. Former President Joe Biden asserted he wouldn’t give himself a pardon. “No, I have no contemplation of pardoning myself for anything. I didn’t do anything wrong,” he told reporters in January. While American history suggests the idea of a president pardoning themselves is unthinkable, the current president’s administration is no stranger to making history.
Given the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling, Trump has legal protections for any alleged crimes and unconstitutional acts while in office… But many of his closest allies do not share the same privilege. According to the Constitution, “civil officers” of the United States can be impeached for “treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.”
The House ultimately has the power to impeach the president and judges. Throughout history, many “civil officers” have been impeached citing the Constitution, including during Trump’s administration.
Most recently, Texas Rep. Brandon Gill filed the articles of impeachment against Chief Judge James E. Boasberg for temporarily blocking the president’s deportation plan this month. Gill accused the judge of using his position “to advance political gain while interfering with the president’s constitutional prerogatives and enforcement of the rule of law.” This came only after Trump’s public request.
Throughout history, officials have been impeached or convicted of crimes. Former Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas was impeached; William W. Belknap, who served as the Secretary of War in 1876 was also impeached. Neither were convicted.
Most recently, former N.Y. Rep. George Santos had his prison sentence commuted by President Trump. With the president’s strong track record of prosecuting his enemies and pardoning his supporters, the consequences he’ll face– if any– after his term remain unseen.
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