A report released Tuesday accusing President-elect Donald Trump's team of communicating with Russia as it influenced the election caused some critics to question Trump's future in the White House. Though Trump has routinely denied such allegations, taking to Twitter Wednesday to say the latest report was “completely false,” if Congress proves he was involved, it could eventually result in impeachment.

The grounds for impeaching a president can be found in Article II of the United States Constitution, which says an official must be convicted by a majority vote in Congress over “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” Treason may be the most likely Russia-related charge to take down Trump, according to Mic.

Trump has become the target of impeachment efforts because working with Russian officials would make him vulnerable to compromising information that could be used to blackmail or influence him politically during his presidency.

A former British intelligence officer released Tuesday's report, which alleged the Russian government had been “cultivating, supporting and assisting” Trump for several years. A two-page synopsis of the report was given to both President Barack Obama and Trump, CNN reported Tuesday.

“That is a strong indication that these allegations should be taken seriously,” former NSA legal counsel Susan Hennessey told Forbes. “If there was any evidence that the Trump campaign actively colluded with Russia and committed crimes, that would be the most shocking political scandal in American history ... If sufficient evidence emerges that the FBI has substantiated the allegations or is preparing criminal indictments, then even hardline Republicans in Congress will likely call for Governor Pence to take the oath of office.”

Impeachment does not mean Trump would immediately be stripped of his presidency. If the House of Representatives were to agree he should be impeached, Trump would also have to go through a Senate trial. Then, two-thirds of the Senate would have to agree in order for him to be removed from office.

For context, only two presidents have been impeached, and neither were removed.

Andrew Johnson was impeached in 1868 over a political conflict stemming from the Civil War. More recently, former President Bill Clinton was impeached on Dec. 19, 1998 over perjury and obstruction of justice after he was found to have lied under oath about his affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

However, both Clinton and Johnson were impeached for crimes committed while they were president. Trump has not yet taken office.

Christopher Lewis Peterson, a law professor at the University of Utah, wrote a paper last year arguing Trump could be impeached immediately upon taking office — though not for treason. The report said the “high crimes and misdemeanors” clause for impeaching a sitting president in the Consitution applied to all "ordinary" citizens acting against U.S. law. Peterson claimed Trump could be on the hook for fraudulent activities related to false advertising for his real estate program Trump University.

RELATED STORIES
Russia Barack obama Donald trump