Rahm Emanuel, the former Chicago mayor and White House chief of staff, has told Democrats not to try to impeach President Donald Trump if his party wins control of the House of Representatives next month. Instead, he says, they should push ethics reform.
Emanuel made the statement during a Sunday appearance on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.” His argument was blunt: impeachment of Trump would be a fight that Democrats would lose, and it would prove to voters that Washington is broken.
“You’re never going to get an impeachment,” Emanuel said.
Emanuel’s Case Against Impeachment
Emanuel framed impeachment as a political loser. “Short answer: No, because it’s not going anywhere, and it’s going to be a food fight, and it’s just going to be we return to the politics of fighting,” he said when asked about impeaching Trump.
His alternative is ethics reform. “Deliver the change. Deliver a comprehensive ethics package that uses the investigations to then deliver change,” he said.
The logic is simple: Democrats can use the investigations into Trump and his administration to build support for new laws, rather than trying to remove him from office. Using those investigations to pass legislation would be more effective than chasing a doomed impeachment vote.
Democrats hold a significant advantage over Republicans heading into the final weeks before the midterm elections. In the House, Democrats are projected to win 215 seats compared to 201 for the GOP.
The left only needs three more victories out of the 19 possible toss-up races to clinch a majority. Republicans would need to win at least 17 of those races to take the chamber.
Jeffries Has Not Said Yes or No
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has declined to say whether he would support impeachment proceedings against Trump. When asked about impeachment in June, Jeffries told NBC that the party’s focus should be on affordability.
“We haven’t ruled anything in or ruled anything out in terms of accountability. What we have said is that our focus is going to be to make life more affordable for the American people. We have to drive down the high cost of living,” Jeffries said.
That answer leaves the door open but the door closed. Jeffries has not committed to impeachment, and he has not ruled it out either. His priority, as he put it, is affordability.
Emanuel’s Presidential Ambitions
Emanuel served two terms as mayor of Chicago and as chief of staff for former President Barack Obama. He is now one of several prominent Democrats rumored to be eyeing a 2028 presidential run.
His recent public statements suggest he is thinking about the party’s future beyond the midterms. At an event, he called Democratic Texas Senate nominee James Talarico “strong” and said he admired Talarico for being “comfortable” about discussing his faith.
When asked by Fox News Digital whether he supports Abdul El-Sayed’s candidacy, Emanuel hedged. “Look, I mean, it doesn’t matter what I do… it matters what the Michigan voters think,” he said.
“And that’s what’s gonna determine this in this effort. And I support the Democrats winning the Senate,” Emanuel said.
“Yeah,” Emanuel answered when Fox News Digital asked whether he hoped El-Sayed would win the race for Democrats.
These comments show Emanuel is careful about endorsements. He does not want to be dragged into fights that could hurt his own prospects. His advice to Democrats on impeachment follows the same pattern: avoid the fight, keep the focus on what the party can actually deliver.
The Politics of the Moment
The midterm elections are a test for both parties. Democrats need to hold their advantage in the House, and Republicans need to find a path to a majority. Emanuel is arguing that his party should avoid giving impeachment to the other side.
The numbers are straightforward. Democrats need three seats to hold the majority, and Republicans need 17. That is a close margin.
Emanuel’s advice avoids the risk of a failed impeachment effort while still making use of the information the investigations produce.
Whether Democrats listen is another question. But Emanuel has made his position clear. He is telling his party to look past impeachment and toward the next election, and he is doing it in language that leaves no doubt about where he stands.
Key Facts Box
– Democrats project 215 seats in the House; Republicans project 201
– Democrats need three more wins out of 19 toss-up races to hold the majority
– Republicans need at least 17 of those races to take the House
– Emanuel served two terms as Chicago mayor and as Obama’s chief of staff
– Emanuel is rumored to be eyeing a 2028 presidential run
Where the paper stands
The paper backs ethics reform and is against a fight over impeachment that would prove Washington is broken. Emanuel’s argument is direct: impeachment would be a fight Democrats would lose, and it would show voters that Washington is broken. The paper agrees with the direction he points, even if it disagrees with how he got there.
Emanuel’s case rests on a plain calculation. Impeachment is a fight Democrats cannot win, and it will only return politics to the politics of fighting. Ethics reform, by contrast, offers a path to deliver change using the investigations already underway. The paper shares that judgment, which is why it backs the direction he points.
What the reader should watch for is whether Democrats heed his warning. The math is close: Democrats need three seats, Republicans need 17. A failed impeachment fight could hand the other side the very argument Emanuel warns against. The paper hopes the party listens.
Source material: “Rahm Emanuel urges Dems not to impeach Trump if they win the House,” Fox News.
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