[_yb2s]

> It is questionable if Trump's claim of not penalizing violators of the law prior to an approved 90-day extension is legal; the law allows no such powers to the President.

The president has the power to pardon, which could be interpreted in that way.

I'm no legal scholar, but I think offering the pardon up front with the intention of circumventing the law would itself have been a crime up until the recent July supreme court ruling that now appears to make it perfectly legal: absolute immunity for all official acts including pardons.

[Dalewyn]

Yes, the legal question was decided last year by the Supreme Court (and it will work in all Presidents' favors going forward, Trump included). The question of duty however lies with Congress. The Executive Branch is tasked with executing the laws passed by Congress, and Congress always has the option of impeaching a President who refuses his duty to execute and enforce the law.

[sethammons]

They impeached Trump. Twice. Didn't do anything.

[Dalewyn]

He was acquitted on both counts, so no he wasn't impeached.

In fact, there has never[1] been an impeached President in American history.

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_impeachment_trial_in_t...

[CyberDildonics]

https://time.com/5552679/impeached-presidents/

[Dalewyn]

>To be impeached, a President or other federal official must have committed one of the violations described by the Constitution as “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” But history shows that if a President is to be impeached, the biggest factor may be political will — whether members of a President’s own party are willing to turn against him, and whether enough members of Congress believe that trying to remove the President is worth the risk of losing popular support.

>To impeach an official, the House of Representatives must pass articles of impeachment, which formally accuse the President of misbehavior. Once the House votes to impeach, the Senate must hold a trial to decide if the President should be removed from office.

So no, Trump (nor Clinton nor Johnson for that matter) was/were not impeached. They were all acquitted of the charges presented and even foregoing that the Senate ultimately lacked the political will to impeach them.

They were all tried for impeachment but they were not "impeached". To be impeached means they were found guilty of the charges (article(s) of impeachment) levied. It's like calling someone acquitted of murder a murderer, that's not how this works at all.

[CyberDildonics]

https://time.com/5552679/impeached-presidents/

"On January 13, Donald Trump became the third President in American history to be impeached and the first President to be impeached twice."