Who has the authority to impeach a sitting president?

The authority to impeach a sitting president lies with the House of Representatives. Impeachment is the process by which the House formally charges an official, including the president, with misconduct. This process is outlined in the U.S. Constitution, specifically in Article I, which gives the House the sole power to impeach.

Once the House votes to impeach, which requires a simple majority, the process then moves to the Senate, which holds a trial to determine whether to convict and remove the president from office. Therefore, while the Senate plays a critical role in the impeachment process by conducting the trial, it is the House of Representatives that holds the exclusive authority to initiate impeachment proceedings.

This separation of powers is fundamental to the checks and balances system established by the Constitution, ensuring that no single branch of government has unchecked power over another. The other entities listed, such as the Supreme Court or the Cabinet, do not possess the authority to impeach a president. The Supreme Court's role concerning impeachment is to preside over the trials of impeachment in the Senate, while the Cabinet members serve an advisory and administrative function without any impeachment authority.