President Donald Trump, asked on October 2, 2026 about being impeached a third time, said he is "getting good at it."
A reporter outside the White House pointed out that Trump has already been impeached twice and asked what a third would mean. Trump was about to leave for Alabama. The exchange is on the White House's own gaggle video, titled "President Trump Gaggles with Press Upon Departure from the White House, Oct. 2, 2026."
Well, I don't know, but I'm getting good at it.
The question was built on Trump's own claim, as the reporter framed it, that Democrats would impeach him if they win control of Congress. Trump then called it "a fake impeachment." He said he could have done the same to "Sleepy Joe" and to Hillary Clinton, but "said that would be inappropriate." His summary: "with me they like to do it."
That is a claim, not a finding. Nothing in the gaggle backs it up.
A reporter put Trump's schedule at 32 stops before the midterms and asked whether Republicans would have a harder time holding the House or the Senate. Trump said, "When I go there we win." He added that if he doesn't go, "we would not do as well."
Then came the number. "When I run, we get 44% more votes," Trump said. He offered no source for the figure in the gaggle.
He also said he isn't on the ballot. His fix: "I'm saying pretend I'm running."
You can see the frame. Impeachment is the threat, and he is the turnout plan.
The rest of the gaggle
Trump took other questions in the same session:
- On Iran, he said, "if I told you, you'd have a major story," and that "Iran is not doing well."
- On South Korea not yet signing off on an Alaska pipeline, he said, "I didn't jump the gun." He added: "If they don't want to do it, that's okay with me. I'll just charge them more."
- On a diesel deal with Europe, he said, "I asked for it." He said an export ban "was never really on the table."
The press pool is its own story. The Hill reported that a source confirmed the White House planned to keep CNN from its scheduled pool duty on Thursday (October 1), despite a judge's order. The right-leaning site The Gateway Pundit says Trump has since barred CNN from Air Force One and travel with him.
According to The Gateway Pundit, a temporary restraining order on the earlier ban is set to expire October 8. AP says a federal judge will hear arguments that day on whether to extend access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
The next stop is that October 8 hearing.