President Donald Trump

President Donald Trump
Name	Donald Trump
Caption	Official portrait, 2017
Office	45th President of the United States
Term start	January 20, 2017
Term end	January 20, 2021
Vicepresident	Mike Pence
Predecessor	Barack Obama
Successor	Joe Biden
Birth name	Donald John Trump
Birth date	June 14, 1946
Birth place	Queens, New York City
Party	Republican (2012–present)
Otherparty	Democratic (2001–2009), Independent (2009–2011), Reform (1999–2001), Republican (1987–1999), Democratic (before 1987)
Spouse	Ivana Zelníčková (1977–1992), Marla Maples (1993–1999), Melania Trump (2005–present)
Children	5, including Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump
Education	Fordham University, University of Pennsylvania (BS)
Occupation	Businessman, media personality

Contents

Early life and business career
Political rise and 2016 presidential campaign
Presidency (2017–2021)
Post-presidency and legal affairs
Political positions and public image

President Donald Trump served as the 45th President of the United States from 2017 to 2021. A Republican from New York City, his political rise was unprecedented, moving directly from a career as a real estate developer and television personality to the White House. His single term was defined by a populist "America First" agenda, significant political polarization, and two impeachments by the House of Representatives. His post-presidency has been dominated by numerous legal challenges and an active role in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries.

Early life and business career

Donald John Trump was born in Queens, a borough of New York City, to Frederick Christ Trump and Mary Anne MacLeod Trump. He attended the New York Military Academy before earning a degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. He joined his father's real estate company, The Trump Organization, which he later led, focusing on high-profile projects in Manhattan such as the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Trump Tower, and various casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey. His brand expanded into global licensing, aviation, board games, and beauty pageants like the Miss Universe organization. Financial troubles in the early 1990s led to corporate debt restructurings, but he regained prominence as the host of NBC's reality show The Apprentice. His business career was marked by multiple Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings for his casino entities and frequent litigation.

Political rise and 2016 presidential campaign

Trump had expressed political interests for decades, flirting with a Reform Party bid in 2000. He rose to political prominence within the Republican Party as a leading proponent of the "birther" conspiracy theory against President Barack Obama. In June 2015, he descended the Trump Tower escalator to announce his candidacy for president, launching an unorthodox campaign against figures like Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz. His rallies, heavy use of Twitter, and rhetoric on issues like immigration and trade with China galvanized a base and dominated media coverage. He secured the Republican nomination and, in a major upset, defeated Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, winning the Electoral College while losing the popular vote.

Presidency (2017–2021)

Trump's inauguration was followed by the largest single-day protest in U.S. history, the 2017 Women's March. His administration saw the confirmation of three Supreme Court justices: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. Major legislative achievements included the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and the creation of the United States Space Force. In foreign policy, he pursued an "America First" approach, renegotiating the NAFTA into the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement, imposing tariffs that sparked a China–United States trade war, and engaging in summits with Kim Jong-un of North Korea. His administration's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and advocacy of unproven treatments like hydroxychloroquine were heavily criticized. He was first impeached in December 2019 for abuse of power regarding Ukraine and impeached a second time in January 2021 for incitement of insurrection following the January 6 Capitol attack; he was acquitted by the Senate both times.

Post-presidency and legal affairs

After leaving office, Trump remained a dominant force in the Republican Party. He held rallies, endorsed candidates in the 2022 United States elections, and announced his campaign for the 2024 presidential election. His post-presidency has been engulfed by unprecedented legal scrutiny, including a FBI search of his Mar-a-Lago residence related to the handling of classified documents. He faces multiple criminal indictments: a New York case concerning business records; a federal case in Florida regarding mishandling classified documents; a federal case in Washington, D.C. for efforts to overturn the 2020 election; and a Georgia racketeering indictment related to the 2020 election. He has also faced civil trials, including a lawsuit by New York Attorney General Letitia James that resulted in significant financial penalties.

Political positions and public image