• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
PoliticsU.S. Politics

How 2020 Candidates Are Using Impeachment to Raise Money on Facebook

By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 26, 2019, 12:58 PM ET

On Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that the House would open an official impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.

While the primary focus may be on the impeachment inquiry itself, a number of 2020 presidential candidates are using it as an opportunity to run ads and raise money—including Trump himself.

Minutes after Pelosi began speaking on Tuesday, Trump’s campaign team sent out a text message to supporters, asking them to join his “Impeachment Defense Team.”

This effort was bolstered by emails, tweets, Facebook ads, and a video Trump shared on Twitter. Trump reportedly raised $1 million within three hours, and he and the RNC raised $5 million in the 24 hours following Pelosi’s announcement.

But that’s not all. 

Former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Kamala Harris, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren all began running Facebook ads seeking to monetize the impeachment inquiry. 

Biden has run several ads against Trump, including one that refers specifically to Trump’s call with Ukrainian President Zelensky. It reads: “Donald Trump sat in the Oval Office asking a foreign leader to investigate Joe Biden’s family because he knows Joe Biden will make sure he’s a one-term president. Don’t let the President get away with this gross abuse of power. Show your support for Joe Biden today.”

Warren, meanwhile, called for the impeachment inquiry to “move forward with the efficiency and seriousness this crisis requires.” The ad calls for the House to “vote on articles of impeachment—and when it comes to the Senate, I will do what the Constitution requires.” 

“Sign up now if you’re with me,” it concludes. 

In an ad run by Harris’ campaign, she writes that “Donald Trump has abused his power, obstructed justice, and violated his oath of office. He puts his political interests over our national interest. No one is above the law. He must be impeached.”

It should come as no surprise that billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer, who is perhaps best known for the Need to Impeach campaign that he started prior to launching his own bid for the presidency, has run numerous ads referring to Trump’s impeachment. 

Among others is one that reads: “Impeachment is happening. If we can build a grassroots army of Americans to impeach a lawless president, we can build an army to kick corporations out of politics. I’m a candidate who knows how to organize – and win. Join my campaign.”

Other top-polling candidates, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Mayor Pete Buttigieg did not appear to run any Facebook ads leveraging the impeachment inquiry. All of the aforementioned candidates have expressed explicit support for impeachment, with the exception of Buttigieg.

More must-read stories from Fortune:

—A running list of questions on the impeachment inquiry, answered
—5 allegations made in the declassified whistleblower complaint
—What is CrowdStrike? Trump mentioned the company in his Ukraine call
—These are the key players in the Trump impeachment inquiry
—How impeachment momentum massively shifted among democrats
—The 25 most powerful women in politics

Follow Fortune on Flipboard to stay up-to-date on the latest news and analysis.

About the Author
By Natasha Bach
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Politics

Robert F. Kennedy
PoliticsHealth
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. turns to AI to make America healthy again
By Ali Swenson and The Associated PressDecember 5, 2025
5 hours ago
Trump
Personal FinanceHealth Insurance
Trump wants more health savings accounts. A catch: they can’t pay insurance premiums
By Amanda Seitz and KFF Health NewsDecember 5, 2025
7 hours ago
Scott Bessent speaks with Andrew Ross Roskin at Dealbook Summit
LawTariffs
Treasury Secretary Bessent insists Trump’s tariff agenda is ‘permanent,’ saying the White House can re-create it even with a Supreme Court loss
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezDecember 5, 2025
10 hours ago
Letitia James
LawDepartment of Justice
Piling on Trump DOJ’s legitimacy issues, Letitia James challenges appointment of U.S. attorney suing her
By Michael Hill and The Associated PressDecember 4, 2025
23 hours ago
Scalise
PoliticsCongress
Congress flatlines in attempt to regulate college sports with bill ‘not ready for prime time’
By Joey Cappelletti and The Associated PressDecember 4, 2025
24 hours ago
Trump
PoliticsWhite House
‘We fixed inflation, and we fixed almost everything’: Trump travels to Pennsylvania to talk affordability while denying it’s a problem
By Josh Boak and The Associated PressDecember 4, 2025
24 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
Two months into the new fiscal year and the U.S. government is already spending more than $10 billion a week servicing national debt
By Eleanor PringleDecember 4, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
‘Godfather of AI’ says Bill Gates and Elon Musk are right about the future of work—but he predicts mass unemployment is on its way
By Preston ForeDecember 4, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Nearly 4 million new manufacturing jobs are coming to America as boomers retire—but it's the one trade job Gen Z doesn't want
By Emma BurleighDecember 4, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he works 7 days a week, including holidays, in a constant 'state of anxiety' out of fear of going bankrupt
By Jessica CoacciDecember 4, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Real Estate
‘There is no Mamdani effect’: Manhattan luxury home sales surge after mayoral election, undercutting predictions of doom and escape to Florida
By Sasha RogelbergDecember 4, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Tariffs and the $38 trillion national debt: Kevin Hassett sees ’big reductions’ in deficit while Scott Bessent sees a ‘shrinking ice cube’
By Nick LichtenbergDecember 4, 2025
1 day ago
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.