This chapter will delve into how the highest checks and balances tool designed by the American Constitution—the impeachment process—was twice invoked against Trump, this “atypical political figure” (the ex post facto evidence and actor discussed in Chapter Twenty-Six). We will argue that these two impeachments demonstrate the complete failure and paralysis of the system’s processing mechanism when confronting the extreme symptoms spawned by its own structural decay.

First Thesis: The Design of the Impeachment Process and Its Alienation in the Era

I. The Constitutional Significance of Impeachment: Checks and Balances Against “High Crimes and Misdemeanors”

The impeachment process designed by the Constitution (as a complement to Chapter Twelve) was intended to provide an extreme but necessary checks and balances tool: when the president is suspected of “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors,” Congress can remove them from office. Its original intent was:

Safeguarding National Security: Ensuring that presidential actions remain accountable to the nation.

A Non-Partisan Trial: Impeachment is initiated in the House, tried in the Senate, and requires a two-thirds supermajority for conviction, designed to prevent impeachment from becoming a tool of partisan revenge.

However, against the backdrop of the “Winter of Stalemate” and “Trumpification” (Chapter Thirty-Six), the impeachment process became completely alienated.

II. The Alienated Impeachment: From “Legal Process” to “Political Weapon”

The two impeachments against Trump (the first over the Ukraine scandal, the second over the Capitol riot) demonstrated that the impeachment process had completely degenerated into a “political weapon”:

The Transformation of Goals: The goal of impeachment shifted from “removal from office” to “political condemnation” and “partisan mobilization.”

The Lock-In of Outcomes: Due to the extreme partisanship of the Senate (Chapter Fourteen), the voting outcomes of the two parties were virtually predetermined before the trials even began, rendering the impeachment conviction threshold (two-thirds supermajority) an impossible mission.

Second Thesis: Impeachment One: The System’s Bewildered Counterattack Against “Atypical Behavior”

III. The First Impeachment: The Bewilderment and Impotence of Institutional Elites

The first impeachment (the Ukraine affair) was the Washington Establishment’s (including traditional Republican elites and Democrats) bewildered reaction to Trump’s “atypical political behavior.”

Violation of Norms: Trump used his office to pressure a foreign government to investigate a domestic political opponent, severely violating diplomatic norms and the moral boundaries of the presidency.

The Establishment’s Counterattack: For the Establishment, this was another example of Trump as an “actor” breaking rules and challenging the system. They believed that by initiating the impeachment process, they could compel him to restore respect for norms.

The Impotence of the Counterattack: The outcome in the Senate proved that the power of partisan loyalty (“Trumpification”) (Chapter Thirty-Six) far exceeded loyalty to constitutional norms. The system could not punish this “atypical” actor because political polarization had already provided him with an “impenetrable shield.”

Third Thesis: Impeachment Two: The System’s Futile Struggle Against “Extreme Symptoms”

IV. The Second Impeachment: A Final, Futile Struggle Against Political Violence

The second impeachment (the Capitol riot) was the system’s final, futile struggle against the “extreme symptoms” spawned by its own structural decay.

The Manifestation of Extreme Symptoms: The Capitol riot was the physical embodiment of the social fragmentation, collapse of shared facts, and politicization of violence discussed in this book (Chapter Eight). It proved that Trump as an “actor” and emotional symbol (Chapter Thirty-One) had breached the system’s safety lines.

The Paradox of the Trial: This impeachment was tried only after Trump had already left office. This transformed the goal of impeachment from the constitutionally intended “removal from office” to “disqualification from holding future office.” This was the system’s attempt, in an emergency, to seek solutions outside the constitutional framework.

The Futile Outcome: Despite the violence of the Capitol riot, the Senate still failed to reach the two-thirds conviction threshold. This not only proved the irreversibility of “Trumpification,” but also demonstrated the complete paralysis of institutional lock-in (Chapter Twenty-Four) in any attempt to punish extreme political behavior.

VII. Chapter Conclusion: The Ultimate Failure of the Checks and Balances Mechanism

Trump’s two impeachments serve as textbook cases of the ultimate failure of the American constitutional checks and balances mechanism.

The Backlash of Institutions: The impeachment process was intended to be a powerful tool for checking presidential power, but under extreme partisanship, it instead became a tool for intensifying political infighting and partisan opposition.

The Victory of “Ex Post Facto Evidence”: The system could not use its highest mechanism to process and punish Trump, this “ex post facto evidence.” This sent a clear signal to the public: presidents can seriously violate political ethics and democratic norms without facing institutional consequences.

The Consolidation of the Actor’s Myth: For supporters, the failure of the two impeachments instead became the ultimate confirmation of Trump’s “chosen one” mythology: he was constantly attacked by the “swamp,” but emerged victorious each time, proving his “divinity” and invincibility.

The outcomes of the two impeachments marked the complete failure of the Washington Establishment’s counterattack against the Trump phenomenon, paving the way for analyzing how Trumpism merged with deeper cultural forces within American society.

NEXT: Chapter 38: The Collapse of Electoral Integrity: The Overdrawing of Institutional Credit — The Shaking of Democracy’s Foundation