Who presides over the impeachment trial of a President?

• A. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
• B. The Vice President
• C. The Speaker of the House
• D. The Senate Majority Leader

Answer: (A)

The presiding officer for a presidential impeachment trial is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The Constitution gives the Senate the power to try impeachments, and when the President is on trial, the Chief Justice sits as the presiding judge to oversee the proceedings. This arrangement helps keep the trial above politics, since the Vice President—the normal President of the Senate—does not preside during presidential impeachment trials. The Speaker of the House leads the House, and the Senate Majority Leader runs Senate business, but neither presides over the impeachment trial. The Senate acts as the jury, and a two-thirds vote is required to convict.