Donald Trump.
Credit: Reuters Photo
The United States of America is all set to get its 47th President in the form of Donald Trump, with Republican leader securing a historic victory to come back in power. The run-up to the US elections which saw Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Republican counterpart Donald Trump vying for glory, was the most volatile White House race of modern times.
Harris failed to make a mark on the swing states, ensuring a comfortable victory for Trump in the end. Trump has had an extraordinary campaign amid some contentious court rulings and even an assassination attempt on him.
While this election campaign has been full of dramatic events for the Republican candidate, let's have a look at Trump's journey so far and know who exactly Donald Trump is:
Early life
Trump was born on June 14, 1946, in New York. His father was involved in real estate business, which he took over in 1971, and since then, Trump kept moving ahead in the world of business with multiple ventures including hotels, resorts, casinos, etc. under his name.
Personal life
The former president has had three wives - Late Ivana Trump, Marla Maples and Melania Trump, and five kids - three sons, two daughters.
Rise in Politics
Trump first publicly suggested a presidential run in the late 1980s, marking the beginning of his tryst with politics. Trump has continued to be interested in politics ever since, despite not always being taken seriously as a contender. After making his first appearance in 2012, Trump has given multiple speeches at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
Defeating 16 other contenders in a contentious campaign that garnered support and admiration from white nationalists, and the far right, Trump emerged as the 2016 Republican candidate for President of the United States.
Tryst with presidency
In addition to his unofficial candidacy in 2012 and his 2004 run, Trump has formally ran for presidency 4 times: in 2000, 2016, 2020, and 2024. Despite losing to Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton by a margin of 2.8 million votes in the popular vote, he won the 2016 presidential election through the Electoral College.
As a result, on November 8, 2016, Trump was elected as the 45th president of the United States, and on January 20, 2017, he took office. In the 2020 presidential elections, he lost to Democratic candidate Joe Biden by 7 million votes, and was unable to retain power. Due to his involvement in the attempted 2021 US Capitol attack following his loss in the 2020 election, Trump is the first American president to have been impeached twice or to have been impeached for inciting insurrection against the US.
Therefore, Trump's comeback to power in the 2024 US polls makes it one of the most significant developments in US politics in recent memory.