Every president experiences their share of mishaps, but only a select few scandals leave a lasting imprint in history: Teapot Dome, Watergate, Iran-Contra.
Though it’s still early days, it seems likely that the second Donald Trump administration will encounter its fair share of scandals, echoing the very behaviors that led previous presidents—Trump included during his first term—into hot water.
In just two months, Trump and his associates have already tried to undermine congressional authority over spending, engaged in norm-defying legal arrangements, and attempted to avoid ethics regulations aimed at preventing self-dealing.
Any single one of these actions would have posed significant challenges for past presidents; attempting them concurrently is akin to speedrunning the history of White House scandals.
Here’s a brief overview of how Trump’s actions parallel past scandals:
Andrew Johnson’s impeachment
The scandal: Congress enacted a law preventing Andrew Johnson from dismissing the secretary of war without legislative approval. When Johnson attempted to do so anyway, he was impeached by lawmakers, ultimately falling just one vote short of conviction in the Senate. This marked the first presidential impeachment in U.S. history.
Why it was bad: Johnson was acting in direct violation of a law that Congress had enacted over his veto.
What Trump’s doing: In 2023, Congress passed legislation specifically prohibiting the president from firing or reassigning inspectors general without providing 30 days’ notice and a valid reason for their removal. Within the first week of his administration, Trump dismissed 18 inspectors general without offering the requisite notice or justification.
Teapot Dome
The scandal: Secretary of the Interior Albert Fall convinced President Warren G. Harding to transfer two significant oil reserves to his department, subsequently leasing them to two oil magnates without a competitive bidding process. Fall was later convicted of bribery, marking the first time a sitting Cabinet member was incarcerated.
Why it was bad: Contracts for government projects are expected to go through a competitive bidding system to ensure they aren’t simply given to the president’s allies or other officials.
What Trump’s doing: A report from The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, indicates that the Federal Aviation Administration is contemplating canceling a $2.4 billion contract with Verizon for air traffic control upgrades and awarding it to Elon Musk’s Starlink, a donor to Trump. (SpaceX, Starlink’s parent company, stated on X that it has a lease agreement for providing satellite internet kits “free-of-charge” and denied any attempt to assume an existing contract, though details remain scarce.)
Saturday Night Massacre
The scandal: In an effort to prevent damaging revelations about his administration, President Richard Nixon ordered the attorney general to terminate a special prosecutor. After the attorney general refused and resigned, Nixon turned to the deputy attorney general, who also declined and resigned, until the third-ranking official complied.
Why it was bad: Even though the president appoints the attorney general, the Department of Justice is expected to operate independently, particularly in investigations involving the president or his associates.
What Trump’s doing: The Department of Justice directed federal prosecutors to dismiss a case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams with prejudice, meaning it could be reopened later. Seven prosecutors chose to resign rather than follow through with the directive in what has been termed the “Thursday afternoon massacre.” Acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove stated in court that the case was dismissed due to Adams’ inability to communicate with federal immigration officials while under prosecution.
Trump’s first impeachment
The scandal: Trump temporarily withheld $400 million in congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine in an alleged attempt to persuade President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to initiate an investigation into Hunter Biden, which he believed would assist his re-election efforts.
Why it was bad: According to the Constitution, Congress holds the exclusive “power of the purse,” granting it authority over taxation and expenditure. Trump’s rationale for withholding aid was politically motivated and could have undermined Ukraine’s judicial system.
What Trump’s doing: Trump has once more blocked the release of congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine. Although he has not been accused of possessing personal political motivations this time, he has been pressuring the nation to negotiate a peace agreement with Russia and to sign a contract allowing U.S. access to its mineral resources.
