What is the process through which charges can be brought against the president?

The process through which charges can be brought against the president is known as impeachment. This constitutional process allows Congress to remove a sitting president from office for committing "high Crimes and Misdemeanors." The process begins in the House of Representatives, where articles of impeachment can be drafted and debated. If a simple majority of the House votes to impeach, the president is formally charged, leading to a trial in the Senate.

Impeachment serves as a critical mechanism in the system of checks and balances, enabling Congress to hold the president accountable for serious misconduct. While other processes like indictment refer to criminal charges brought in court, they do not apply to the presidential removal process, which is political rather than criminal in nature. A trial refers to what occurs in the Senate after impeachment but is not the method of bringing charges itself. A referendum, on the other hand, is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a specific proposal, unrelated to the impeachment of a president.