Donald Trump's Path to the Presidency
Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States after winning the Electoral College in the November 2016 general election, defeating Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton with 304 electoral votes to 227, despite losing the popular vote. His campaign centered on economic nationalism, immigration restrictions, and deregulation, and he took office on January 20, 2017, at age 70, making him the oldest first-term president in U.S. history up to that point, as reported by the official White House historical records and major news outlets Forbes.
Before entering the White House, Trump built a real estate and branding empire, later expanding into hotels, golf courses, and licensing deals, and he publicly released his tax returns only after legal battles and congressional requests. His pre-presidential business profile included hundreds of companies, mergers, and high-profile deals, with his net worth estimated in the billions by Forbes and other financial trackers, and he leveraged his celebrity from The Apprentice to position himself as a dealmaker-in-chief candidate.
Key Events During the Trump Administration
During his first term, Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in December 2017, which lowered the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, and he appointed three Supreme Court justices, reshaping the court's ideological balance for a generation. His administration also pursued a trade war with China, imposed tariffs on billions of dollars in goods, renegotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement into the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and rolled back numerous environmental regulations.
The first Trump presidency ended on January 20, 2021, after he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden, and his term was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic response, multiple impeachment trials, and a controversial departure from office. After leaving the White House, Trump returned to private business, continued to influence the Republican Party, and launched a formal campaign to regain the presidency, with his post-presidency activities closely watched by financial regulators and the public.
Trump's Post-Presidency Business and Political Activity
Following his 2020 loss, Trump maintained a significant presence in real estate, media, and political fundraising, with his Save America PAC raising hundreds of millions of dollars and his social media platform Truth Social launching as an alternative to major tech companies. His business interests, including the Trump Organization, faced ongoing legal scrutiny, and the company pleaded guilty to 17 felony charges in New York in 2022 related to tax fraud and falsifying business records.
Trump launched his 2024 presidential campaign in November 2022, secured the Republican nomination, and won the Electoral College again in November 2024, returning to the White House as the 47th President of the United States. His second term has focused on tariff policy, immigration enforcement, and federal workforce changes, with his administration's actions closely tied to financial markets, regulatory shifts, and global trade dynamics.