Trump impeachment impossible under GOP-controlled Congress

A political analyst believes US President Donald Trump is unlikely to be impeached under a Congress controlled by Republicans.

“Given the current alignment of political power in the US it is an impossibility,” Professor Dennis Etler told Press TV on Tuesday.

“The Republican-controlled Congress would never move in that direction no matter what the (Special Counsel Robert) Mueller probe uncovers,” Etler added.

Mueller along with several congressional panels are investigating Russia's alleged interference in last year's US election and possible collusion between Trump's team and the Kremlin.

Legal experts and other Democrats are suggesting that Trump could face charges of obstruction of justice because of the way he has handled the Russia inquiry.

Etler went on to say that if “the Democrats regain control of Congress in 2018, they could initiate impeachment proceedings. But, as impeachment is a political act, the Democrats have to calculate what would be in their best interests.”

“If Trump was impeached and convicted and Vice President Pence assumed office as president the Republicans could gain some traction. Under those circumstances the Democrats may feel that a wounded Trump is a better option," he noted. “Then, Trump would be a lame duck for the next two years and have to play ball with them.”

The analyst also said that “a Republican Congress will not allow it to occur unless the alleged abuses of office are so severe as to necessitate it.”

On Friday, Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia.

Flynn pleaded guilty to one charge of making false statements to investigators, hours after Mueller charged him with “willfully and knowingly” making “false, fictitious and fraudulent statements” to investigators over his Russian contacts.

In a tweet on Saturday, Trump appeared to indicate that he knew Flynn had lied to the FBI.

"I had to fire General Flynn because he lied to the Vice President and the FBI. He has pled guilty to those lies," Trump tweeted. 

The White House rejected the idea that Flynn could implicate Trump for collusion with Moscow.

US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia tried to help Trump win the election by hacking and releasing emails damaging to his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.