U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that he expects Democrats to launch another impeachment effort against him if Republicans lose control of Congress in the November 2026 midterm elections.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on August 21, Trump linked the outcome of the midterms directly to the future of his presidency and urged Republican voters to turn out in large numbers.
“If we lose the midterms, I am going to be impeached,” Trump told supporters, before adding that Democrats would seek to impeach him without knowing why.
The remarks underscored Trump's effort to frame the upcoming congressional elections not simply as a contest for control of Capitol Hill, but as a referendum on his presidency and political agenda.
Trump tells supporters to act as if he is on the ballot
Trump traveled to South Carolina to campaign for Sen. Darline Graham, who is competing against Rep. Ralph Norman in the Republican Senate runoff scheduled for August 25.
During the rally, Trump repeatedly emphasized the importance of turnout and urged his supporters to behave as though he personally were running.
“What I really want you to do is pretend, please, that I'm on the ballot,” Trump told the crowd.
Trump argued that Republican losses could threaten several of his administration's priorities, including its immigration, tax and economic policies.
The South Carolina contest has also emerged as a test of Trump's influence over Republican voters ahead of the nationwide midterm elections.
Trump links congressional control to his presidency
The president used the rally to broaden his message beyond the South Carolina Senate race.
Trump argued that a Democratic takeover of Congress could result in increased investigations of his administration, obstruction of his legislative agenda and potentially another impeachment proceeding.
Control of Congress will be one of the biggest political questions facing the United States in November, when all seats in the House of Representatives and roughly one-third of the Senate will be contested.
The outcome will determine how much political room Trump has to advance his agenda during the remainder of his presidential term.
Impeachment does not automatically mean removal from office
There is an important constitutional distinction between impeachment and removal from office.
Under the U.S. Constitution, the House of Representatives can impeach a president by a simple majority vote.
The case then moves to the Senate, where conviction and removal from office require the support of two-thirds of senators present.
Therefore, even if Democrats were to win control of the House and initiate impeachment proceedings, that would not automatically mean Trump would be removed from office.
Trump has already been impeached twice
Trump's warning carries particular significance because he has already faced impeachment twice.
During his first presidency, the House impeached Trump in 2019 over the Ukraine controversy.
He was impeached for a second time in January 2021, following the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
The Senate did not convict Trump in either case, allowing him to avoid removal from office.
He became the first U.S. president in history to be impeached twice.
2026 midterms become increasingly important for Trump
The November 2026 elections will determine control of Congress during the final two years of Trump's current presidential term.
Trump is increasingly portraying those elections as a direct vote on his administration and has urged his political base to remain engaged even though his own name will not appear on the ballot.
His latest remarks in South Carolina demonstrate how the president is seeking to use the possibility of investigations and impeachment to mobilize Republican voters.
With control of Congress at stake, the midterms are shaping up to be one of the most consequential political tests of Trump's second presidency.
