President Donald J. Trump was impeached on December 18, 2019, becoming the third U.S. president to be impeached. The House of Representatives approved two articles of impeachment accusing Trump of the abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. As predicted, both of these articles passed, as Democrats hold a majority in the House.

Trump being impeached does not actually mean he is out of office. The Senate will hold a trail either acquitting Trump or removing him from office; however, the Republicans hold a majority in the Senate, meaning it is unlikely he will be removed from office. Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, is withholding the articles of impeachment from the Senate until Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell creates a fair trial. McConnell is avoiding having witnesses present at the trial, as they could present information that is damaging to Trump’s name. It is likely that Pelosi and McConnell will have to come to an agreement in order for the trial to happen in the near future. 

As of now, John R. Bolton, former White House National Security Advisor, is prepared to testify if there is a trial. This may help the Democrats’ case and puts pressure on McConnell to call on Bolton as a witness.

SHS history teacher Heather Willinger provided her opinion on the recent presidential events: “I think [the United States] was already polarized in the beginning, [the impeachment trials] are more of a reflection…impeachment is implicitly political.” 

Kristen Emerson, another history teacher at SHS, emphasized that in regards to the impeachment trials impacting the United States, she doesn’t believe they will change anything at all, specifically how people are going to vote in the 2020 elections. 

SHS science teacher Casey Kimball exudes that the media is highly politicized on both sides of the argument, adding that politics in the U.S. are becoming further divided. 

Out of the six teachers that were interviewed, all of them agreed it is important for adults and students to keep up with the impeachment trials. 

When asked if they were keeping up with the impeachment trials, a sample of eight SHS students revealed the following results: four responded with “yes,” three with “a little.” and one with “no.” Kimball added, “I wish I was more politically active when I was in high school. I didn’t care about it then. I do care about it now.” 

It is understandable that people can be caught up in the busyness of their lives, and not everyone is passionate about politics. But it’s important to recognize this impeachment marks a pivotal moment in the history of the United States. 

Trump’s presidency has caused a deep political divide in the nation, international conflict, as well as domestic conflict. It is crucial to understand the basics of Trump’s impeachment process and what this means for the future of the nation. A president being impeached is a big deal–regardless of any bias or opinion. 

Although politics is not everyone’s “cup of tea,” the younger generation needs to recognize they have the power to make a substantial change in the future that benefits people’s lives. By staying informed on major events that affect the nation, young people can recognize how they can work to advance society toward progress.