At the time, a group awaited his statement that he was running for president in the 2016 election, birthing his mark phrase: “Make America Great Again. ”
Every season has brought significant wins and losses, but Trump’s day in the White House has changed social conversation and will never be forgotten.
2015: Trump announces 2016 work
After centuries of hinting at the idea of running for president, Trump made it official on June 16, 2015.
“So ladies and gentlemen … I am actually running … for president of the United States, and we are going to create our nation great again, ” Trump said in his political notification statement.
The news sparked major reaction from the media, with several never taking his nomination for the Republican election significantly. But, Trump caught the attention of the Republican Party through his opinions regarding Mexican emigration.
“ When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best, ” Trump said. “They’re sending people who have loads of problems, and they’re bringing those difficulties with them. They’re bringing medications. They’re bringing violence. They’re offenders. And some, I assume, are nice people. ”
He rose to the top of the Democratic elections during his work, despite condemnation from politicians and media sources, and became the 45th president.
2016: Trump secures president in big upset
On Nov. 9, 2016, at 2:31 a. m. , Trump crossed the 270 electoral voting level, making him the approaching 45th president.
Trump won the electoral vote 306 to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton’s 232, but lost the national voting by a 1. 7 % ratio. He won Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin — the key swing state in that vote.
Trump’s win followed heated conversations with Clinton, which resulted in spectacular events between the two.
“It’s simply awfully good that someone with the nature of Donald Trump is not in command of the laws in our country, ” Clinton said during the following 2016 presidential debate.
“You’d remain in prison, ” Trump responded.
Alongside Trump’s political gain, the GOP even won Congress, marking its second time in handle since 2006.
The “Make America Great Again” mission was ready to take off, with innovative economic and immigration procedures planned.
2017: New economical and immigration procedures
Four days after Trump’s inauguration, he signed an executive order called “Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements, ” which led to the construction of the U. S. -Mexico boundary walls.
Afterwards in the year, on Dec. 22, 2017, Trump secured his second major legislative success as leader with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
The act cut the corporate tax rate from 35 % to 21 %, provided temporary tax relief to individuals and families, and repealed the individual mandate penalty from the Affordable Care Act.
“And the bottom line is, this is the biggest tax breaks and transformation in the history of our nation, ” Trump said in comment from the White House. “This is bigger than, really, President Reagan’s some years back. I’m quite honored by it. ”
2018: Trump becomes first US president to match with a North Korean president in person
On June 12, 2018, Trump became the first U. S. leader to join with a North Korean leader in people at the North Korea-United States Singapore Summit.
North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and Trump signed a joint declaration agreeing to procedures, including safety guarantees for North Korea, fresh quiet connections, and the disarmament of the Korean Peninsula.
Trump said the summit was “as good for the United States as it was for North Korea” in a press conference afterward, leading to a budding trusting relationship between the two leaders.
2019: Trump visits North Korea and first impeachment trials
On June 30, 2019, Trump made history by becoming the first sitting U. S. president to enter North Korea. Trump took 20 steps into the country and shook hands with Kim.
During their meeting, Trump said he was “proud to step over the line, ” and thanked Kim, creating a newfound relationship between the two countries.
However, later that year, Trump was impeached by the House on Dec. 18 for “abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, ” making him the third president to face removal from the Oval Office.
Trump responded to the impeachment on X, saying, “SUCH ATROCIOUS LIES BY THE RADICAL LEFT, DO NOTHING DEMOCRATS. THIS IS AN ASSAULT ON AMERICA, AND AN ASSAULT ON THE REPUBLICAN PARTY! ! ! ! ”
2020: COVID-19 and Trump loses reelection
On March 13, 2020, Trump declared a national emergency for COVID-19, granting states access to$ 50 billion in funding. Two weeks later, Trump signed a$ 2. 2 trillion emergency spending bill, the largest bill in U. S. history.
Additionally, Trump accelerated vaccine development, enforcing early actions such as travel restrictions and developing testing infrastructure.
While many think Trump handled COVID-19 well, critics believe he downplayed the pandemic. The divide contributed to Trump losing reelection to former President Joe Biden.
Trump then attempted to overturn the election result.
“ He only won in the eyes of the FAKE NEWS MEDIA, ” Trump said. “ I concede NOTHING! We have a long way to go. This was a RIGGED ELECTION! ”
2021: Jan. 6 and second impeachment
On Jan. 6, 2021, Trump supporters stormed the Capitol after a Trump rally, disturbing a joint session of Congress to certify the 2020 election results.
Supporters vandalized offices and broke windows, leading to five deaths, including one Capitol police officer. During this, 1,580 rioters were charged, with 660 facing prison sentences, according to a statistic released by the U. S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Trump was impeached for “inciting ” the Capitol riot, making him the first president to be impeached twice.
The impeachment did not pass in the Senate, allowing him to run for president in 2024.
2022: Trump discloses 2024 run
On Nov. 15, 2022, Trump announced his presidential campaign at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, with the goal of becoming the second president elected to two nonconsecutive terms.
“We are a nation in decline, ” Trump said in his speech. “For millions of Americans, the past two years under Joe Biden have been a time of pain, hardship, anxiety, and despair. ”
“We will be attacked. We will be slandered. We will be persecuted just as I have been … But we will not be intimidated. We will persevere … and in the end we will win. Our country will win, ” Trump said.
His announcement came as the Republican Party faced worse-than-expected midterm election results, and he faced multiple criminal and civil investigations.
2023: Trump’s charges and mugshot
In August 2023, Trump became the first president to have a booking photo released and be criminally charged. Trump faced 88 criminal charges across four indictments.
The charges included allegedly retaining classified documents, a hush money case, and election interference.
On Aug. 24, Trump’s mugshot was released. He responded in a statement on X — his first post since January 2021.
“Election interference. Never surrender! ” Trump said.
He also posted the mugshot and linked his website.
The Trump campaign began selling T-shirts and mugs with the booking photograph. By Aug. 26, 2023, the campaign had raised$ 7. 1 million since the photo’s release, according to the Trump campaign’s spokesperson.
2024: Assassination attempt and clinching 47th presidency
Trump survived an assassination attempt on July 13 at a rally near Butler, Pennsylvania. He was shot in the ear, and one supporter in the crowd was killed.
A week later, he accepted his Republican presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention and spoke about the shooting.
“I’m not supposed to be here tonight, ” Trump said. “ I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of Almighty God. ”
According to an ABC News poll, Trump’s favorability rose 40 %, the highest rating in four years. His favorability continued to stay positive, and led to him winning the 2024 election.
“We have to put our country first for at least a period of time. We have to fix it, because together, we can truly make America great again for all Americans, ” Trump said in his victory speech. “ I will not let you down. America’s future will be bigger, better, bolder, richer, safer, and stronger than it has ever been before.
Not only did Trump win the election, but he also won the popular vote — the first time in 20 years that a Republican nominee won — against former Vice President Kamala Harris. The GOP also took full control of Congress.
2025: What’s happened and what’s next for Trump
A DECADE OF MAGA: HOW TRUMP’S GOLDEN ESCALATOR RIDE CHANGED AMERICA
Trump has already started strong in his second term, signing 161 executive orders in the first half of 2025. These actions reflect his agenda to “restore America, ” with initiatives ranging from stronger immigration enforcement to cutting funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Trump has generated momentum, but new challenges lie ahead. From responding to the recent protests in Los Angeles to gaining support for his “big, beautiful bill, ” the remainder of 2025 promises to be eventful for the Trump administration.
