People often assume that removing a US president from office is straightforward, but the reality is far more complicated. There are official, legal routes written into the system, and then there are darker, more extreme possibilities that only come into focus when a presidency begins to stretch the limits of democracy itself. What once sounded unthinkable is now being discussed openly, and that alone shows how unusual this moment is.
Donald Trump warned people exactly who he was going to be. Throughout the 2024 campaign, he repeatedly talked about mass deportations, joked about ruling like a dictator, insisted he never lost the 2020 election, and praised the people who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, calling them patriots rather than rioters. At the time, many dismissed his words as exaggeration or political theatre. Only now are people starting to take those warnings seriously.
In just the first weeks of 2026, Trump’s actions have shocked even seasoned observers. He has launched a military invasion of Venezuela, a clear violation of international law, and then openly stated in interviews that he does not believe international law applies to him. He has threatened military action against Greenland and Colombia, hinted at trouble for Cuba, and even pressured the Nobel Peace Prize committee in public. At home, he has dramatically expanded ICE operations, defended agents after the shooting of an unarmed American citizen, smeared the victim, and threatened to deploy the military to crush protests.
And that is only the beginning. In his first year back in office, he has raised serious concerns about his mental and physical fitness, openly welcomed Vladimir Putin, deported innocent people to brutal detention camps abroad, used the military against peaceful protesters, attempted to rewrite the history of January 6, altered parts of the White House without oversight, and repeatedly interfered with election processes. He has even spoken openly about cancelling elections altogether.
Trump frequently talks about the idea of a third term, despite it being clearly illegal and unconstitutional. He jokes about using war as an excuse to delay or cancel elections and complains that the country owes him so much that midterm elections should not even be happening. These are not normal comments, and this is not a normal presidency. With years still left to go, it is no longer unreasonable to ask how such a presidency could actually end.
Under normal circumstances, the simplest way to remove a president is to wait. Elections come around, voters make a choice, and power transfers peacefully. In a typical second term, the country would already be preparing for the next election cycle. But this assumes elections happen as planned and results are respected.
Trump has made it clear that he does not feel bound by these norms. He has suggested he could stay in power beyond his term and floated scenarios where an ally runs for president only to hand power back to him later. Some legal theorists have even raised concerns about loopholes involving the vice presidency and the wording of the Constitution. All of this relies on elections still existing and being honoured, which is no longer guaranteed.
Congress does have the power to act. Impeachment is the most well-known method, and Trump has already been impeached more times than any president in history. The process begins in the House of Representatives, where a simple majority is needed to impeach. The Senate then holds a trial, and a two-thirds vote is required to convict and remove the president.
In practice, this is extremely difficult. Party loyalty, fear of political backlash, and deeply divided voters make it unlikely that enough lawmakers would turn against Trump, especially in the Senate. Even if the House flips in the midterms, the Senate may remain in Republican hands, making conviction almost impossible.
The Constitution also offers another path through the 25th Amendment. A president can resign voluntarily, or temporarily hand over power if unable to perform their duties. The most serious option allows the vice president and cabinet to declare the president unfit, immediately removing him from power. However, this decision must then be backed by a two-thirds vote in the Senate. Once again, politics makes this far harder than it sounds.
Even if Trump were removed, that would not automatically solve the problem. There would be no new election. Power would pass down the line of succession. First to the vice president, then to other senior Republican figures who are equally loyal to Trump. In reality, Trump could still remain the real power behind the scenes, directing events without holding the title.
Some have suggested removing multiple officials at once after the midterms to reset leadership. But this would be incredibly risky and could easily be seen by the public as a political coup, even if it followed legal rules. The backlash could be severe, and Trump himself may try to prevent midterms from happening or refuse to recognise the results if they do.
The most disturbing question remains the one no one wants to face. What if he simply refuses to leave? What if his term ends, or he is removed legally, and he just says no? What if he ignores Congress, the courts, the Constitution, and tradition altogether?
Before 2021, many would have said this could never happen. But before 2021, no president had ever rejected a legitimate election result and encouraged a violent attack on the Capitol. That line has already been crossed. January 6 was an attempted coup encouraged by a sitting president, and it only failed because people around him intervened.
Now, many of those restraining voices are gone. If history teaches us anything, it is that the formal end of Trump’s presidency may not match the reality on the ground. There is a very real risk that he refuses to accept any outcome that removes him from power, and that this refusal leads to chaos or violence.
At that point, the conversation becomes even darker. It moves into questions about whether the military would step in, whether orders would be obeyed, and whether armed supporters would resist. These are extreme thoughts, but they are no longer fantasy. When democratic norms collapse, the unimaginable starts to feel possible.
That is why so many people are uneasy. Not because the rules do not exist, but because rules only matter if those in power agree to follow them. And for the first time in modern American history, that agreement can no longer be taken for granted.
