Who holds the power to impeach officials in the US government?

The power to impeach officials in the US government lies with the House of Representatives. This authority is enshrined in the Constitution, specifically in Article I, Section 2, which stipulates that the House has the sole power of impeachment. This means that any federal official, including the President, can be impeached by a majority vote in the House if they are found to have committed "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."

Once the House votes to impeach, the process moves to the Senate, which holds the power to conduct a trial and ultimately decide whether to convict and remove the official from office. However, the initial step of impeachment itself is exclusively reserved for the House. This structure emphasizes the principle of checks and balances within the federal government, as it requires both chambers of Congress to participate in different capacities in the impeachment process.