Which chamber of Congress is responsible for impeachment trials?

The Senate is responsible for impeachment trials. According to the Constitution, the process of impeachment begins in the House of Representatives, which has the exclusive authority to impeach federal officials by bringing charges against them. Once the House votes to impeach, the case is then sent to the Senate, which conducts the trial.

During this trial, Senators serve as jurors, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the proceedings when a President is being tried. A two-thirds majority vote in the Senate is necessary to convict and remove an official from office. This structure ensures that impeachment trials are conducted with a level of seriousness and scrutiny befitting the gravity of the action, as it ultimately requires a significant consensus among the elected representatives.