NPR

Trump Impeachment Talk Grows From Conspiracy Theory To Mainstream

After it was revealed the former FBI director penned a memo saying the president asked to end the Michael Flynn probe, Democrats are talking about the "I" word. But that's still very far afield.
President Trump at the White House Wednesday. He is facing the biggest pressure of his young presidency to refute an allegation that he pressured the FBI director to end an investigation. / SAUL LOEB / Getty Images

The elephant in the room whenever talking about President Trump and the Russia investigation is the big "I" word — impeachment.

The word had been in the not-so-far reaches of liberal conspiracy talk since Trump was elected. There's a website with more than 976,000 signatures on a petition encouraging Congress to impeach Trump. There's even an "Impeach Donald Trump" Twitter handle.

It is highly unlikely — there's almost zero chance — Trump would be impeached by a Republican Congress.

But with the revelation that James Comey, who was fired as FBI director last week, penned a memo after a Valentine's Day meeting with Trump in which Comey associates say Trump asked him to end the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn, the "I" word is creeping its way into the mainstream.

Asked on CNN by Wolf Blitzer after the news broke Tuesday evening whether Trump could face impeachment, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said, "Reluctantly, Wolf, I have to say yes simply because obstruction of justice is such a serious offense."

He later walked back that statement with Maine reporters.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min read
These People Waited Hours To See The Trump Hush-money Trial Up Close. Here's Why
New Yorkers and tourists alike stand in line outside the Manhattan criminal court with hopes of securing a spot in one of the rooms where the trial against former President Donald Trump can be viewed.
NPR3 min read
What Are 'The Kids' Thinking These Days? Honor Levy Aims To Tell In 'My First Book'
Social media discourse and the inevitable backlash aside, the 26-year-old writer's first book is an amusing, if uneven, take on growing up white, privileged, and Gen Z.
NPR8 min readAmerican Government
Anti-war Protests, A Chicago DNC: Is It 1968 All Over Again? Some Historians Say No
There are clear similarities between 1968 and 2024, from presidential elections and anti-war protests to new Planet of the Apes movies. But historians tell NPR there are some key differences too.

Related Books & Audiobooks