On the 13th January 2021, the United States House of Representatives voted to impeach Donald Trump for incitement of insurrection regarding the storming of the US Capitol. Congress’ vote to impeach came barely a week before the end of Trump’s term, with the aim not of removing him from office, as he was already leaving, but preventing him from running again. Impeachments usually come at times of intense political turmoil and signify trouble within the US political landscape, but the second impeachment of Trump could aid the healing of divisions in American society.

A two-party political system like the one seen in the US is naturally going to create division—many people define themselves and others as either a Democrat or a Republican, with few other real options. When registering to vote, individuals even have the option to declare as either a Democrat or Republican. This binary definition also creates tension between individuals, allowing each party to demonise voters of the other party, exploiting division for political gain. 

In claiming that a fair and legal election was ‘stolen,’ it was people like Donald Trump and Ted Cruz who added fuel to the flame of disunity. There was little evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election yet because they were unhappy with the result they claimed the election should be overturned. Where democracy served as the only uniting force within a country that is politically divided, Trump and Cruz strived to further disunify American citizens. 

It is no wonder that people hearing the president claim that the democracy they love was ‘stolen’ would try to right what they saw as wrong. The divisions that increased in the US, ultimately lead to the storming of the US Capitol. The hypocrisy of politicians and journalists who claim to be on the side of unity while supporting a man who led a failed coup on the government is ironic, but exactly what we should expect after years of instability and inequality designed to divide.

However, in some ways the storming of the Capitol has made the US more united than at any other point in the last five years. Trump’s approval rating after the attack was just 29%, the lowest of his presidency, and the majority of Americans support the impeachment. It seems that the majority of Americans are now united against Donald Trump, even though Republican Senators and Representatives still claim that the country’s unity is their first priority in voting against impeachment.

Preventing Trump from running again will not stop others who have modelled themselves on him from running for high office in the US or elsewhere. However, it will make it harder for the cult of Trump to regain power. A vote to prevent Trump running for President again would also help to close the chapter of overt nationalism, scepticism, and division. This would help the US heal from the toxicity of Trump, learn from his presidency and begin unifying as a country.

Unfortunately, the impeachment vote will likely be based on party-political lines, meaning the two-thirds majority required to convict will be hard to reach. However, the trial will function as a platform to expose the facts of Trump’s claims and actions, meaning that even if he is not convicted, hopefully more people will be convinced of the dangers of Trump. Ironically, this means the country can unify against Trump’s lack of impeachment. Impeaching Donald Trump will not be a cure-all for the problems of America, or the world as a whole, but it will be a step towards repairing years of hate and hurt.

Read more from Comment on US Politics:

Why Andrew Yang Should Be the Next Mayor of New York City

Tweets, Turmoil and Far too Many Tirades: What Will Trump’s Legacy Be? 

America’s War With Democracy