What Does Donald Trump’s Impeachment Acquittal Actually Mean?

Can he still run for office again in 2024?

Since 6 January, everyone's eyes have been on the US. Following a violent riot at the US Capitol Building, incited by former US President Donald Trump, the House of Representatives successfully impeached Trump for the second time.

Despite Trump being the first US president to ever be impeached twice, this was not the end of the road. While Trump had been impeached again, he was still due to face a Senate impeachment trial which would determine whether or not he would be convicted of 'incitement of insurrection'.

During the five-day trial, Trump did not take the stand but instead released a statement describing the accusation as a “witch hunt.”

On Sunday, it was announced that, once again, the Republican-controlled Senate voted not to convict Trump and he was acquitted.

When we refer to the Senate or House of Representatives being ‘controlled’, it means that there are more members of Congress from one party than another. This means that the majority of votes for a bill will likely be from the controlling party, even though other members of Congress from opposing parties also make up the vote.

So, what does this mean for Trump now? Could he still face criminal charges? Can he run again in 2024? Is this the end of it?

Let’s break it down.

What does 'acquitted' mean?

What's the meaning of Acquitted??

Does it mean he's eligible to run for another presidential election?

— Torhile🌹🦂 (@Torhile_) February 13, 2021

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, to acquit someone means to completely discharge them of any accusation, obligation or crime according to a court.

This means that Trump cannot be convicted by the US Congress for inciting the Capitol riots, nor can they bring up impeachment on the topic again.

For those who need a refresher on impeachment, it’s the process by which a legislative body levels charges against a government official. Basically, it’s a way of charging a government official if they’ve done something incredibly wrong.

If the impeachment process is successful, the government official can also be removed from office. Although, that has not happened in the US before.

Will Trump face any charges?

Following the verdict of the trial, many Senators criticised Trump’s actions and claimed that despite being acquitted, he could still face criminal prosecution.

In particular, Section 2383 of the US code says that it is a federal offence to "incite, set on foot, assist, or engage in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States."

However, it would be very difficult to charge Trump with this and would likely involve a long legal battle with many more obstacles than an impeachment ever did.

Of course, there is also the possibility of convicting Trump on a state or local level.

At the moment, there is a criminal investigation happening in Georgia that relates to Trump pressuring the Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger to invalidate the election results. 

According to the Washington Post, there are also dozens of smaller, local lawsuits happening in relation to his business dealings rather than his presidency.

So, Trump could still be charged but it might not be for his involvement in the Capitol riots.

Can he still run again in 2024?

Now, the most important question on everyone’s minds: Will Trump actually be allowed to run for office again in four years’ time?

Well, there are a few factors to consider. Firstly, political censure is on the table.

Political censure refers to condemning a public official’s behaviour. Technically, a former president can be convicted of political censure and the process is a little easier than impeachment, however, it might not do much as the censure is mostly symbolic.

There is also the possibility of invoking the 14th Amendment. Section 3 states that no one can hold office if they’ve engaged in "insurrection or rebellion," which is exactly what Trump did.

The problem with this is that it's very rarely used, so it’s all a bit of a guessing game at this stage.

If Trump is convicted of any of the criminal charges mentioned previously, he may also lose the ability to run for any potential place in office. 

The federal insurrection felony in the US code would not only send Trump to prison, but it would definitely prevent him from holding office in the US ever again. The same goes with the 14th Amendment.

For now, Trump is still eligible to run for President again in 2024 and it is a likely pathway, considering he has mentioned his intent to run again in the past.

However, it might be a little too early to say for sure. After all, there are still ongoing investigations and proceedings that could change how things go.

We'll just have to keep watching.

Header Image: Drew Angerer via Getty Images