Donald Trump’s historic comeback campaign in pictures

Donald Trump’s decisive presidential victory this week caps a turbulent four-year absence for the Republican leader. During his time away from the White House, Trump went from an embattled one-term president facing internal Republican challengers and multiple lawsuits to a resurgent president-elect with a broad mandate from voters across the country.

Trump was at his most vulnerable in the aftermath of the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, when even top Republicans questioned his leadership and actions surrounding the certification of the 2020 election.

However, those questions were short-lived.

The former president faced primary challengers: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Trump’s former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley. But it quickly became clear that Trump’s hold on the Republican base remained dominant. Four criminal charges, one of which resulted in a felony conviction, did little to dent his popularity and played into Trump’s own narrative that he was the target of a vengeful Justice Department.

Trump began the general election against President Joe Biden, a man he described as old and excessive. After their first and only debate against each other, which showed Biden struggling to score rhetorical points against Trump, the president stepped aside and allowed Vice President Kamala Harris to become the new Democratic nominee.

Harris’ ascension sprint to Election Day witnessed two assassination attempts on the former president, a confrontational debate between Trump and Harris and hundreds of millions spent by both campaigns to sway a small group of persuadable voters in key swing states.

Trump’s victory represents a shock to American politics and allows him to enter the White House in January 2025 from a position of strength. In a speech at his election night party early Wednesday morning, Trump claimed β€œan unprecedented and powerful mandate.”