Donald Trump is now calling the current impeachment inquiry a “coup.”
It’s not.
Via Reuters:
President Donald Trump is escalating his rhetoric against the impeachment investigation being led by House Democrats. In a tweet, Trump says he has come to the conclusion that the inquiry is not really an impeachment, “it is a COUP, intended to take away the Power of the People.”
In fact, a coup is usually defined as a sudden, violent and illegal seizure of government power. The impeachment process is laid out in the U.S. Constitution.
….People, their VOTE, their Freedoms, their Second Amendment, Religion, Military, Border Wall, and their God-given rights as a Citizen of The United States of America!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 1, 2019
I’ve studied, taught, and written about coups for four decades. What is happening in the US right now is NOT a coup. Stop with this ridiculous claim.
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) October 2, 2019
A coup is an illegal, violent overthrow of government
An impeachment is a peaceful, constitutionally-prescribed transfer of power
Trump is again trying to circumvent our laws and systems to avoid accountability https://t.co/4HUi2r5XfO
— Bryan Behar (@bryanbehar) October 2, 2019
A coup is the violent overthrow of the government.
Impeachment is the constitutional process for removal of a President.
Know the difference.#TheMoreYouKnow
— Nicholas Sarwark (@nsarwark) October 2, 2019