The Constitution grants Congress the authority to impeach and remove Cabinet secretaries, a rarely used power that begins with a formal accusation in the House.
The House needs only a simple majority to adopt articles of impeachment, after which the Senate holds a trial. A two-thirds vote is required for conviction, making removal a high bar.
Only two Cabinet secretaries have ever been impeached. In 1876, War Secretary William W. Belknap was accused of accepting bribes and was acquitted by the Senate. More recently, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was impeached by the House in February 2024 on allegations of high crimes and misdemeanors, but the Senate dismissed the case.
Impeachment is not a conviction; a secretary can continue to serve while the Senate considers the charges, and only a Senate conviction leads to removal from office.