Congressional Departures During Trump's First Term
Resignations, retirements, and turnover across the 115th (2017–2019) and 116th (2019–2021) Congresses.
How many members of Congress departed during Trump's first term?
Approximately 190 total departures occurred across the 115th and 116th Congresses during Donald Trump's first term (2017–2021). These included roughly 28 mid-term resignations and 67 retirements, driven by scandals, administration appointments, health, electoral defeats, and members running for other offices.
During Donald Trump's first term, Congress saw substantial turnover, driven by resignations (scandals, administration appointments, health), record retirements ahead of the 2018 midterms, deaths, electoral defeats, and members running for other offices.
The query emphasizes voluntary exits, particularly Republicans who chose not to seek re-election amid intra-party tensions and a competitive 2018 environment. Data is aggregated primarily from Congressional Research Service (CRS) summaries and the "Changes in membership" sections of the 115th and 116th Congresses.
What do the departure totals look like by Congress?
The 115th Congress (2017–2018) saw 118 total departures (House 104 + Senate 14), while the 116th Congress (2019–2020) saw 72 (House 64 + Senate 8), for a combined total of 190. In-term departures (resignations, deaths, etc.) totaled 33 across both Congresses.
| Category | 115th Congress (2017–2018) | 116th Congress (2019–2020) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Departures | 118 (House 104 + Senate 14) | 72 (House 64 + Senate 8) | 190 |
| In-Term Departures (resignations, deaths, etc.) | 21 (House 16 + Senate 5) | 12 (House 11 + Senate 1) | 33 |
| Complete-Term Departures (retirements, defeats, other office) | 97 (House 88 + Senate 9) | 60 (House 53 + Senate 7) | 157 |
| Resignations (mid-term) | ~19 (House 15 + Senate 4) | ~9 (House 8 + Senate 1) | ~28 |
| Retirements (not seeking re-election) | ~35 (House 32 + Senate 3) | ~32 (House 28 + Senate 4) | ~67 |
Totals are CRS aggregates and include House Delegates and the Resident Commissioner. Many "retirements" were strategic, driven by tough re-election prospects in the 2018 midterms, with Republicans accounting for a disproportionate share of voluntary exits in the 115th cycle.
Which senators departed during Trump's first term?
The Senate saw fewer departures overall than the House. Notable Senate exits included resignations for administration appointments, misconduct allegations, and health reasons.
-
Jeff Sessions (R-AL)Resigned to become U.S. Attorney General
-
Al Franken (D-MN)Resigned amid misconduct allegations
-
Thad Cochran (R-MS)Resigned due to health
-
Jon Kyl (R-AZ)Appointed to fill McCain vacancy, later stepped down
Which House members departed during Trump's first term?
The House experienced higher turnover, including scandals and members leaving to join the Trump administration.
-
Tom Price (R-GA)Resigned to join Trump administration (HHS Secretary)
-
Mick Mulvaney (R-SC)Resigned to join administration (OMB Director)
-
Trent Franks (R-AZ)Resigned amid scandal
-
Blake Farenthold (R-TX)Resigned amid harassment scandal
-
John Conyers (D-MI)Resigned amid harassment allegations
-
Justin Amash (R→I, MI)Left GOP in 2019 over intra-party tensions
How did party affiliation affect congressional departures?
A significant share of voluntary exits were Republicans, especially in the lead-up to the 2018 midterms, about 34 House Republicans announced they would not seek re-election, contributing to Democratic gains. Most departures were driven by standard factors, age, family, scandals, or electoral math, rather than explicit party switches.
GOP: A significant share of voluntary exits were Republicans, especially in the lead-up to the 2018 midterms, about 34 House Republicans announced they would not seek re-election, contributing to Democratic gains.
Most departures were driven by standard factors, age, family, scandals, or electoral math, rather than explicit party switches. The most prominent party exit was Justin Amash (R-MI), who left the GOP for Independent (and later Libertarian) status in 2019–2020 over clashes with Trump-aligned factions.
Where can I find sources on congressional departures?
Congressional Research Service reports and official membership change records provide the primary data for departure totals. The following sources were used to compile this overview.