History of Donald Trump in Timeline
Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman. As a member of the Republican Party, he served as the 45th U.S. President from 2017 to 2021. He is also the 47th president of the United States.
1900: Clemency Requests
Since 1900, Donald Trump granted fewer requests for clemency than all presidents except George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush during his first term.
1930: Tariffs at Highest Level Since Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act
Donald Trump started a global trade war, imposing tariffs at the highest level since the 1930 Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act at the onset of the Great Depression.
June 14, 1946: Donald John Trump was born
On June 14, 1946, Donald John Trump was born at Jamaica Hospital in Queens, New York City.
1964: Enrolled at Fordham University
In 1964, Donald Trump enrolled at Fordham University and participated in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps program.
1965: Rescinding Executive Order 11246
In 2025, Trump rescinded Lyndon B. Johnson's 1965 Executive Order 11246, which mandated that federal contractors take affirmative action to end racial discrimination.
May 1968: Graduated from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
In May 1968, Donald Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in economics.
1968: Graduation from University of Pennsylvania
In 1968, Donald Trump graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor's degree in economics.
1968: Employed at Trump Management
Starting in 1968, Donald Trump was employed at Trump Management, his father's real estate company.
1969: Registered as a Republican
In 1969, Donald Trump registered as a Republican in Queens.
1970: Investment in Broadway Comedy
In 1970, Donald Trump invested $70,000 of his father's wealth to receive billing as coproducer of a Broadway comedy, ultimately losing the money.
1971: Became president of family's real estate business
In 1971, Donald Trump became the president of his family's real estate business, which he later renamed the Trump Organization.
1971: Moved to Manhattan and became president of Trump Organization
In 1971, Donald Trump moved to Manhattan to expand the family business and became president of the Trump Organization.
1973: Countersued the U.S. government
In 1973, Donald Trump, with the help of Roy Cohn, countersued the U.S. government for $100 million over charges of discrimination against Black applicants and tenants, though the counterclaims were dismissed and the case was settled.
1976: Practice of Candidates Releasing Tax Returns
In 1976, Donald Trump did not release his tax returns, contrary to the practice of every major candidate since then.
1977: Marriage to Ivana Zelníčková and birth of Donald Jr.
In 1977, Donald Trump married Ivana Zelníčková, and their first child, Donald Jr., was born.
1979: Roger Stone enlisted.
In 1979, Roy Cohn introduced political consultant Roger Stone to Donald Trump, who enlisted Stone's services to deal with the federal government.
1980: Grand Hyatt Hotel and Trump Tower development
In 1980, the Commodore Hotel reopened as the Grand Hyatt Hotel, and Donald Trump obtained rights to develop Trump Tower.
1981: Birth of Ivanka Trump
In 1981, Ivanka Trump, the second child of Donald Trump and Ivana Zelníčková, was born.
1983: Purchase of the New Jersey Generals
In 1983, Donald Trump purchased the New Jersey Generals, a team in the United States Football League, for approximately $6 million.
1984: Harrah's at Trump Plaza opened
In 1984, Donald Trump opened Harrah's at Trump Plaza, a hotel and casino, with financing and management help from the Holiday Corporation.
1984: Posing as John Barron
In 1984, Donald Trump, posing as a Trump Organization official named "John Barron", called journalist Jonathan Greenberg, trying to get a higher ranking on the Forbes 400 list of wealthy Americans.
1984: Birth of Eric Trump
In 1984, Eric Trump, the third child of Donald Trump and Ivana Zelníčková, was born.
1985: Cameos in Films and TV Shows
From 1985, Donald Trump had cameos in many films and television shows.
1985: Acquired the Mar-a-Lago estate
In 1985, Donald Trump acquired the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
1985: Bought the Atlantic City Hilton Hotel and renamed it Trump's Castle
In 1985, Donald Trump bought the unopened Atlantic City Hilton Hotel and renamed it Trump's Castle.
1985: USFL Folded After 1985 Season
The United States Football League folded after the 1985 season, due to Donald Trump's attempt to move to a fall schedule and force a merger with the NFL by bringing an antitrust suit.
May 1986: Took Sole Control of Harrah's at Trump Plaza
In May 1986, Donald Trump took sole control of Harrah's at Trump Plaza, paying Holiday Corporation $70 million.
1986: Stock Purchases and Takeover Suggestions
From 1986, Donald Trump purchased significant blocks of shares in various public companies while suggesting that he intended to take over the company.
1987: Donations to the Donald J. Trump Foundation Begin
From 1987, Donald Trump started giving money to his foundation.
1987: Advertisements on Foreign Policy
In 1987, Donald Trump placed full-page advertisements in major newspapers expressing his views on foreign policy and how to eliminate the federal budget deficit.
1987: Registered as a Republican in Manhattan
In 1987, Donald Trump registered as a Republican in Manhattan.
1987: Publication of "The Art of the Deal"
In 1987, Donald Trump's first book, "The Art of the Deal", was published and became a New York Times Best Seller.
1988: Acquired the Plaza Hotel
In 1988, Donald Trump acquired the Plaza Hotel with a loan from a consortium of 16 banks.
1988: Asked to be Considered as Running Mate
In 1988, Donald Trump approached Lee Atwater, asking to be put into consideration to be Republican nominee George H. W. Bush's running mate.
1988: Bought a third Atlantic City venue, the Trump Taj Mahal
In 1988, Donald Trump bought a third Atlantic City venue, the Trump Taj Mahal.
1988: Purchase of Eastern Air Lines Shuttle
In 1988, Donald Trump purchased the Eastern Air Lines Shuttle, financing the purchase with $380 million in loans.
1988: Stock Sales for Profit
In 1988, Donald Trump sold his shares for a profit after suggesting that he intended to take over the company, leading some observers to think he was engaged in greenmail.
1988: Establishment of the Donald J. Trump Foundation
In 1988, the Donald J. Trump Foundation was established as a private foundation.
1989: WWE Appearances
From the late 1980s including 1989, Donald Trump sporadically appeared for the professional wrestling company WWE.
1989: Hosted Boxing Matches and Lent Name to Cycling Race
In 1989, Donald Trump and his Plaza Hotel hosted several boxing matches at the Atlantic City Convention Hall, and he also lent his name to the Tour de Trump cycling stage race.
1989: Central Park Jogger Case
In 1989, Donald Trump insisted that a group of five black and Latino teenagers were guilty of raping a white woman in the Central Park jogger case.
April 1990: Trump Taj Mahal Opened
In April 1990, Donald Trump's Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City opened, financed with $675 million in junk bonds.
1990: Divorce from Ivana Zelníčková
In 1990, Donald Trump and Ivana Zelníčková divorced following his affair with Marla Maples.
1990: Lent Name to Cycling Race
In 1990, Donald Trump lent his name to the Tour de Trump cycling stage race.
1990: Self-Reported Net Worth
In 1990, Donald Trump self-reported his net worth as minus $900 million.
1991: Default on Trump Shuttle Loans
In 1991, Donald Trump defaulted on his loans for the Trump Shuttle, and ownership passed to the banks.
1991: Trump Taj Mahal filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
In 1991, Donald Trump filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the Trump Taj Mahal.
1991: First Corporate Bankruptcy Filing
In 1991, Donald Trump's over-leveraged hotel and casino businesses in Atlantic City and New York filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
1992: Trump Shuttle Operation Ends
Donald Trump operated the Trump Shuttle until 1992.
1992: Formation of All County Building Supply & Maintenance Corp
In 1992, Donald Trump and his siblings formed All County Building Supply & Maintenance Corp, alleged to have been a shell company for marking up the costs of services and supplies for Trump's rental units.
1992: Trump's Castle and Harrah's at Trump Plaza filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
In 1992, both Trump's Castle and Harrah's at Trump Plaza filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
1992: The Plaza Hotel filed for bankruptcy protection
In 1992, the Plaza Hotel, owned by Donald Trump, filed for bankruptcy protection, and the banks took control of the property.
1993: Marriage to Marla Maples and birth of Tiffany Trump
In 1993, Donald Trump married Marla Maples, and their daughter, Tiffany, was born.
January 1994: Formation of Apartment Management Associates
In January 1994, Donald Trump and his siblings formed Apartment Management Associates to take over the management fees formerly collected by Trump Management, which served to inflate rents and transfer assets from Fred Trump.
1994: Sold interest in Riverside South
In 1994, struggling with debt, Donald Trump sold most of his interest in the Riverside South project to Asian investors.
1995: Converted Mar-a-Lago into a private club
In 1995, Donald Trump converted the Mar-a-Lago estate into a private club with an initiation fee and annual dues.
1995: Declared Loss
In 1995, Donald Trump declared a loss of $916 million, which could have let him avoid taxes for up to 18 years.
1995: Defaulted on bank loans and lenders seized properties
In 1995, Donald Trump defaulted on over $3 billion of bank loans, and the lenders seized the Plaza Hotel along with most of his other properties.
1995: Founded Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts (THCR)
In 1995, Donald Trump founded Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts (THCR), which assumed ownership of the Trump Plaza.
1996: Acquired and renovated 40 Wall Street
In 1996, Donald Trump acquired and renovated the mostly vacant 71-story skyscraper at 40 Wall Street, later rebranded as the Trump Building.
1996: Purchase of Miss Universe Pageants
In 1996, Donald Trump purchased the Miss Universe pageants, including Miss USA and Miss Teen USA.
1996: THCR purchased the Taj Mahal and the Trump Castle
In 1996, THCR purchased the Taj Mahal and the Trump Castle.
1999: Divorce from Marla Maples
In 1999, Donald Trump and Marla Maples divorced.
1999: Joined the Independence Party
In 1999, Donald Trump became a member of the Independence Party, the New York state affiliate of the Reform Party.
1999: Started building and buying golf courses
In 1999, Donald Trump began building and buying golf courses.
February 2000: Withdrawal from Reform Party Primaries
In February 2000, Donald Trump withdrew from the 2000 Reform Party presidential primaries.
2001: Registered as a Democrat
In 2001, Donald Trump registered as a Democrat.
2001: End of Cameo Appearances
In 2001, Donald Trump stopped appearing in films and television shows.
2002: Move of Pageants to NBC
In 2002, Donald Trump took the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants to NBC due to disagreements with CBS about scheduling.
2002: Exoneration in Central Park Jogger Case
In 2002, the black and Latino teenagers were exonerated, but Donald Trump continued to insist they were guilty.
2004: Start of "Trumped!" Radio Program
From 2004, Donald Trump had his own short-form talk radio program, Trumped!.
2004: Hosting of The Apprentice
From 2004, Donald Trump hosted The Apprentice, which was created by Mark Burnett.
2004: Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts went bankrupt
In 2004, Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts went bankrupt, leaving Donald Trump with 10 percent ownership.
2005: Cofounding of Trump University
In 2005, Donald Trump cofounded Trump University, a company that sold real estate seminars.
2005: Marriage to Melania Knauss
In 2005, Donald Trump married Slovenian model Melania Knauss.
2005: "Hot mic" recording
In 2005, Donald Trump was recorded on a "hot mic" bragging about kissing and groping women without their consent, saying that, "when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. ... Grab 'em by the pussy."
2006: Trump Foundation Funds Depleted
By the end of 2006, the $5.4 million Donald Trump gave his foundation was spent.
2006: Birth of Barron Trump
In 2006, Barron Trump, the son of Donald Trump and Melania Knauss, was born.
2006: Stormy Daniel's Alleged Affair with Trump
The case stemmed from evidence that Donald Trump booked Michael Cohen's hush-money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels as business expenses to cover up his alleged 2006–2007 affair with Daniels during the 2016 election.
2007: WrestleMania 23 Appearance
In 2007, Donald Trump appeared for the professional wrestling company WWE including WrestleMania 23.
2007: Donation To The Donald J. Trump Foundation
In 2007, Donald Trump donated to his foundation.
2007: Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
In 2007, Donald Trump received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work as producer of Miss Universe.
2007: Stormy Daniel's Alleged Affair with Trump
The case stemmed from evidence that Donald Trump booked Michael Cohen's hush-money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels as business expenses to cover up his alleged 2006–2007 affair with Daniels during the 2016 election.
2008: Donation To The Donald J. Trump Foundation
In 2008, Donald Trump donated to his foundation.
2008: End of "Trumped!" Radio Program
In 2008, Donald Trump ended his short-form talk radio program, Trumped!.
2009: Filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
In 2009, Donald Trump filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for six of his businesses, including the Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts company.
2009: Trump joins Twitter
In 2009, Donald Trump joined Twitter, marking the beginning of his extensive social media presence.
2009: Registered as a Republican Again
In 2009, Donald Trump registered as a Republican again.
2009: Sixth Corporate Bankruptcy Filing
In 2009, Donald Trump's over-leveraged hotel and casino businesses in Atlantic City and New York filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the sixth time.
2009: Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts went bankrupt and Trump resigned as chairman
In 2009, Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts went bankrupt and Donald Trump resigned as chairman.
2009: Start of Economic Expansion
In 2009, the longest economic expansion in American history began, continuing until February 2020, at the start of Donald Trump's presidency.
2010: Trump University Renamed
In 2010, Trump University's name was changed to the Trump Entrepreneur Initiative after New York State authorities notified the company that its use of "university" violated state law.
May 2011: Announcement Not to Run in 2012
In May 2011, Donald Trump announced that he would not run in the 2012 election.
2011: Guest Commentator on Fox & Friends
From 2011, Donald Trump was a guest commentator on Fox & Friends.
2011: Trump Promotes 'Birther' Conspiracy Theory
In 2011, Donald Trump became the leading proponent of the racist "birther" conspiracy theory that Barack Obama was not born in the United States.
2011: Unaffiliated Registration
In 2011, Donald Trump became unaffiliated with any political party.
2012: Consideration to Challenge Barack Obama
In 2012, Donald Trump considered challenging President Barack Obama in the election.
2012: Registered as a Republican Again
In 2012, Donald Trump registered as a Republican again.
2013: Civil Suit Against Trump University
In 2013, the State of New York filed a $40 million civil suit against Trump University, alleging that the company made false statements and defrauded consumers.
2014: Promises To Do So
In 2014, Donald Trump promised to release tax returns if he ran for office.
2014: Sanctions Imposed After Russian Annexation of Crimea
In 2014, the toughest U.S. sanctions were imposed after the Russian annexation of Crimea, which Trump later weakened.
June 2015: Announcement of Candidacy for 2016 Election
In June 2015, Donald Trump announced his candidacy for the 2016 election, campaigning as a rich, successful businessman and an outsider without political experience.
June 2015: NBC and Univision Drop Pageants
In June 2015, NBC and Univision dropped the Miss Universe pageants in reaction to Donald Trump's comments about Mexican immigrants.
August 2015: Criminal cases linked to rhetoric
From August 2015 to April 2020, there were at least 54 criminal cases where Donald Trump's rhetoric was invoked in connection with violence or threats of violence.
2015: The Apprentice ended
In 2015, Donald Trump ended his run as the host of the reality television show "The Apprentice".
2015: Promises To Do So
In 2015, Donald Trump promised to release tax returns if he ran for office.
2015: End of Fox & Friends Appearances
In 2015, Donald Trump stopped being a guest commentator on Fox & Friends.
2015: End of The Apprentice Hosting
In 2015, Donald Trump stopped hosting The Apprentice.
2015: Release of health letter
In 2015, Donald Trump's campaign released a letter from his longtime personal physician, Harold Bornstein, stating that he would "be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency".
2015: Estimated Net Worth by Forbes
In 2015, Forbes estimated Donald Trump's net worth at $4.5 billion.
2015: Reshaping the Republican Party's identity
Since 2015, Donald Trump's leadership style and political agenda have reshaped the Republican Party's identity.
March 2016: Republican Front-Runner
In March 2016, Donald Trump became the Republican front-runner.
July 2016: FBI Launched Crossfire Hurricane
In July 2016, the FBI launched Crossfire Hurricane, an investigation into possible links between Russia and Donald Trump's 2016 campaign.
September 2016: Trump Acknowledges Obama's Birth in the U.S.
In September 2016, Donald Trump acknowledged that Barack Obama was born in the U.S., though reportedly expressed birther views privately in 2017.
October 2016: Access Hollywood tape surfaces
In October 2016, a 2005 "hot mic" recording surfaced, featuring Donald Trump bragging about kissing and groping women without their consent. He said, "when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. ... Grab 'em by the pussy." The incident led to widespread media exposure and his first public apology during his 2016 presidential campaign.
October 2016: Leak of Trump's State Filings for 1995
In October 2016, portions of Donald Trump's state filings for 1995 were leaked to a reporter from The New York Times.
December 2016: Announcement of Foundation Dissolution
In December 2016, Donald Trump's team announced that the Donald J. Trump Foundation would be dissolved.
2016: Trumpism Political Movement
Beginning with his 2016 campaign, Donald Trump's politics and rhetoric led to the creation of a political movement known as Trumpism.
2016: Twitter during the campaign
During his 2016 campaign, Donald Trump posted frequently on Twitter.
2016: Campaign rhetoric and physical attacks
During his 2016 campaign, Donald Trump urged or praised physical attacks against protesters or reporters.
2016: Free media coverage during the campaign
During the 2016 campaign, Donald Trump benefited from an estimated $2 billion in free media coverage. He also accused the press of bias, calling it the "fake news media" and "the enemy of the people".
2016: Trump Pledged Overturning Roe v. Wade
During the 2016 campaign, Donald Trump pledged that Roe v. Wade would be overturned "automatically" if he were elected and given the opportunity to appoint two or three anti-abortion justices.
2016: Trump Promises to Protect Medicare
During the 2016 campaign, Donald Trump promised to protect funding for Medicare and other social safety-net programs.
2016: Trump Uses "Rigged Election" Rhetoric
In 2016, Donald Trump mentioned "rigged election" and "election interference" during his campaign.
2016: Trump Supports Interrogation Torture Methods
In 2016, Donald Trump said he supported the use of interrogation torture methods "a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding."
2016: Trump identifies as Presbyterian
In 2016, Donald Trump stated that he was a Presbyterian and a Protestant.
2016: Won the 2016 presidential election
In 2016, Donald Trump won the presidential election against Hillary Clinton.
2016: Campaign Platform
In 2016, Donald Trump's campaign platform emphasized renegotiating U.S.–China relations and free trade agreements such as NAFTA and strongly enforcing immigration laws.
2016: Settlement of Trump University Cases
Shortly after he won the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump agreed to pay a total of $25 million to settle the Trump University cases.
2016: Hush Money Payments During 2016 Election
The case stemmed from evidence that Donald Trump booked Michael Cohen's hush-money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels as business expenses to cover up his alleged affair with Daniels during the 2016 election.
January 2017: Travel Ban Executive Order Signed
In January 2017, Donald Trump signed an executive order that denied entry to citizens from six Muslim-majority countries for four months and from Syria indefinitely, leading to protests and legal challenges.
January 2017: U.S. Intelligence Agencies Stated Russia Favored Trump in 2016 Election
In January 2017, three U.S. intelligence agencies jointly stated with "high confidence" that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election to favor Donald Trump.
January 20, 2017: Inauguration
On January 20, 2017, Donald Trump was inaugurated as President of the United States.
February 2017: Seizure of medical records
In February 2017, three of Donald Trump's agents reportedly seized his medical records in a raid on Harold Bornstein's office.
May 2017: Comey Dismissed as FBI Director
In May 2017, Donald Trump dismissed James Comey as FBI director, citing concerns about Comey's role in the Trump–Russia investigations.
May 2017: FBI Opened Second Investigation into Trump's Dealings with Russia
In May 2017, after Donald Trump fired Comey, the FBI opened a second investigation into Trump's personal and business dealings with Russia.
October 2017: Sub-Cabinet Positions Unfilled
In October 2017, there were hundreds of sub-cabinet positions without a nominee in the Trump administration.
December 2017: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Signed
In December 2017, Donald Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which reduced tax rates for businesses and individuals and eliminated the penalty associated with the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate.
December 2017: Travel Ban Allowed to go into Effect
In December 2017, The Supreme Court allowed the version of the travel ban that extended travel bans to North Koreans, Chadians, and some Venezuelan officials to go into effect.
2017: Americans Question Trump's Religiosity
Between 2017 and 2021 during Trump's first presidency, 63 percent of Americans did not believe that he was religious, despite his professed Christian affiliation.
2017: Trump Filed for Reelection and Held First Rally
Donald Trump filed to run for reelection only a few hours after becoming president in 2017. He held his first reelection rally less than a month after taking office.
2017: Reported Birther Views
In 2017, Donald Trump reportedly expressed birther views privately, despite acknowledging Barack Obama's birth in the U.S. in September 2016.
2017: Donald Trump became the 45th president of the United States.
In 2017, Donald Trump started his term as the 45th president of the United States.
2017: Trump's Comments on Unite the Right Rally
In 2017, Donald Trump's comments on the Unite the Right rally, condemning "this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides" and stating that there were "very fine people on both sides", were criticized as implying a moral equivalence between the white supremacist demonstrators and the counter-protesters.
2017: Tweets as presidential statements
In 2017, Donald Trump's press secretary stated that his tweets constituted official presidential statements.
2017: Decline in U.S. leadership approval
In 2017, estimation of U.S. leadership declined most among allies.
2017: Reduction in press briefings
In 2017, the first Trump presidency reduced formal press briefings from about one hundred.
2017: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
In July 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act made the tax cuts of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent.
January 2018: Trump's "Shithole Countries" Remarks
In January 2018, during a discussion of immigration legislation, Donald Trump reportedly referred to El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, and African nations as "shithole countries," which were widely condemned as racist.
June 2018: Family Separations Policy
In June 2018, Donald Trump acceded to public pressure and mandated that illegal immigrant families be detained together unless "there is a concern" of risk for the child, after initially blaming Democrats for the family separation policy.
June 2018: First Meeting with Kim Jong Un
In June 2018, Donald Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to meet a North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, in Singapore.
June 2018: Civil Suit Against Trump Foundation
In June 2018, the New York attorney general's office filed a civil suit against the Donald J. Trump Foundation, Donald Trump, and his adult children.
June 2018: Trump Administration Challenges Affordable Care Act
In June 2018, the Trump administration joined 18 Republican-led states in arguing before the Supreme Court that the elimination of the financial penalties associated with the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate had rendered the Act unconstitutional, which could have eliminated health insurance coverage for up to 23 million Americans.
July 2018: Staff Departures Reach Record High
By July 2018, 61 percent of Donald Trump's senior aides had left their positions, and 141 staffers had left in the previous year, setting a record for recent presidents.
December 2018: Government Shutdown Begins
In December 2018, Donald Trump's refusal to sign any spending bill unless it allocated funding for the border wall resulted in the longest-ever federal government shutdown, lasting for 35 days.
December 2018: Trump Foundation Ceases Operation
In December 2018, the Donald J. Trump Foundation ceased operation and disbursed its assets to other charities.
2018: Legal Actions Involving Trump Businesses
According to a review by USA Today in 2018, Donald Trump and his businesses had been involved in more than 4,000 state and federal legal actions.
2018: Lawsuits
As of 2018, Donald Trump had been involved in more than 4,000 lawsuits, liens, and other filings.
2018: Only two consumer goods companies continued to license his name
By 2018, only two consumer goods companies continued to license Donald Trump's name.
2018: Legislation Signed to Increase Funding for Drug Treatments
In 2018, Donald Trump signed legislation to increase funding for drug treatments in response to the opioid epidemic, but was widely criticized for failing to create a concrete strategy.
2018: Bornstein's statements about the health letter
In 2018, Harold Bornstein stated that Donald Trump had dictated the contents of the 2015 health letter released by his campaign.
2018: Government Revenues Lower Than Projected
In 2018, government revenues were 7.6 percent lower than projected, despite the Trump administration's claim that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act would not decrease government revenue.
2018: Loans From Father
In 2018, it was revealed that Donald Trump borrowed at least $60 million from his father, largely did not repay the loans, and received another $413 million (2018 equivalent, adjusted for inflation) from his father's company.
2018: APSA ranking of presidents
In 2018, members of the American Political Science Association ranked Donald Trump as the worst president.
2018: Decline in press briefings
In 2018, the first Trump presidency reduced formal press briefings to about half the number from 2017.
2018: National Poll on Racism
In a 2018 national poll, about half of respondents said Donald Trump is racist; a greater proportion believed that he emboldened racists.
2018: Media coverage of falsehoods
Until 2018, the media rarely referred to Donald Trump's falsehoods as lies, even when he repeated demonstrably false statements.
January 8, 2019: Key Positions Unfilled
By January 8, 2019, of 706 key positions in the Trump administration, 433 had been filled, and there was no nominee for 264.
January 2019: Government Shutdown Ends
In January 2019, the federal government shutdown, which began in December 2018 due to Donald Trump's demand for border wall funding, ended after he agreed to fund the government without any funds for the wall.
February 2019: Second Meeting with Kim Jong Un
In February 2019, Donald Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for the second time in Hanoi.
March 2019: Mueller Submitted Final Report
In March 2019, Robert Mueller submitted his final report on Russian interference in the 2016 election. The report found that Russia did interfere to favor Donald Trump and that Trump and his campaign welcomed and encouraged the effort, but that the evidence "did not establish" that Trump campaign members conspired or coordinated with Russia.
April 2019: House Oversight Committee Issued Subpoenas for Trump's Financial Details
In April 2019, the House Oversight Committee issued subpoenas seeking financial details from Donald Trump's banks, Deutsche Bank and Capital One, and his accounting firm, Mazars USA. He sued to prevent the disclosures.
June 2019: Third Meeting with Kim Jong Un
In June 2019, Donald Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for the third time in the Korean Demilitarized Zone.
July 2019: Trump Tweets About Democratic Congresswomen
In July 2019, Donald Trump tweeted that four Democratic congresswomen—all minorities, three of whom are native-born Americans—should "go back" to the countries they "came from", resulting in the House of Representatives voting to condemn his "racist comments".
July 2019: Whistleblower Complaint Regarding Trump-Zelenskyy Call
In July 2019, a whistleblower complaint revealed that Donald Trump had pressured Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to investigate Joe and Hunter Biden.
October 2019: Talks with North Korea Break Down
In October 2019, talks between the United States and North Korea broke down, and no denuclearization agreement was reached.
November 2019: Order to Pay Charities
In November 2019, a New York state judge ordered Donald Trump to pay $2 million to a group of charities for misusing the Donald J. Trump Foundation's funds.
December 2019: House Voted to Impeach Trump
In December 2019, the House voted to impeach Donald Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
2019: Declared Mar-a-Lago his primary residence
In 2019, Donald Trump declared the Mar-a-Lago club his primary residence.
2019: First impeachment
In 2019, Donald Trump was impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, but was acquitted by the Senate.
2019: Federal Budget Deficit Increases
In 2019, during Donald Trump's presidency, the federal budget deficit increased by almost 50 percent, reaching nearly $1 trillion.
2019: E. Jean Carroll Accused Trump of Rape
In 2019, journalist E. Jean Carroll accused Donald Trump of raping her in the 1990s and sued him for defamation over his denial.
2019: Travel Ban Upheld
In 2019, the Supreme Court upheld the Trump administration's travel ban.
2019: Further reduction in press briefings
In 2019, the first Trump presidency further reduced formal press briefings to two.
2019: Trump Tower was Trump's primary residence until 2019
Trump Tower housed the headquarters of the Trump Corporation and Trump's PAC and was his primary residence until 2019.
January 2020: Trump Considers Cuts to Social Safety Net Programs
In January 2020, Donald Trump expressed willingness to consider cuts to Medicare and other social safety-net programs, despite promising to protect funding for these programs during the 2016 campaign.
February 2020: Senate Acquitted Trump in First Impeachment Trial
In February 2020, the Senate acquitted Donald Trump in his first impeachment trial.
February 2020: COVID-19 Recession Begins
In February 2020, the longest economic expansion in American history, which began in 2009, came to an end with the onset of the COVID-19 recession during Donald Trump's presidency.
April 2020: Criminal cases linked to rhetoric
From August 2015 to April 2020, there were at least 54 criminal cases where Donald Trump's rhetoric was invoked in connection with violence or threats of violence.
April 2020: Trump Halted WHO Funding and Encouraged Anti-Lockdown Protests
In April 2020, Donald Trump halted funding of the World Health Organization after weeks of attacks to draw attention away from his slow response to the pandemic. Also in April 2020, he encouraged anti-lockdown protests on Twitter, despite the targeted states not meeting his administration's guidelines for reopening.
May 2020: ABC News review of criminal cases
In May 2020, ABC News conducted a nationwide review identifying at least 54 criminal cases, spanning from August 2015 to April 2020, where Donald Trump's rhetoric was invoked in direct connection with violence or threats of violence, primarily by white men against minorities.
May 2020: Twitter fact-checks Trump's tweets
In May 2020, Twitter began to tag some of Donald Trump's tweets with fact-checks, leading him to say social media platforms "totally silence" conservatives.
June 2020: George Floyd Protests and Photo-Op
In June 2020, during the George Floyd protests, federal law-enforcement officials used tear gas and other crowd control tactics to remove protesters from Lafayette Square, outside the White House, after which Donald Trump posed with a Bible for a photo-op at St. John's Episcopal Church.
July 2020: Trump Donates Presidential Salary
In July 2020, Donald Trump ceased publicizing his donations of his presidential salary to federal agencies, although he had pledged to donate his salary and profits from foreign patronage to the U.S. government during his campaign.
August 2020: Trump Officially Became Republican Nominee
In August 2020, Donald Trump officially became the Republican nominee for the presidential election. His campaign focused on crime and appealed to racism.
August 2020: Rollback of Anti-Discrimination Protections Halted
In August 2020, a federal judge halted the Trump administration's attempted rollback of anti-discrimination protections for transgender patients, following a Supreme Court ruling that extended employees' civil rights protections to gender identity and sexual orientation.
November 2020: Biden Won the 2020 Election
In November 2020, Joe Biden won the election, receiving 81.3 million votes to Trump's 74.2 million. Trump baselessly alleged election fraud.
December 2020: Concerns Over Trump's Potential Actions
In December 2020, reports emerged that U.S. military leaders were on high alert, discussing what to do if Donald Trump declared martial law. There were also concerns he might attempt a coup or military action against China or Iran.
2020: Case Dismissed Against Trump due to reelection
After his reelection, the 2020 election obstruction case and the classified documents case were dismissed without prejudice due to Justice Department policy against prosecuting sitting presidents.
2020: Promotion of conspiracy theories after election
After the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump promoted conspiracy theories regarding his defeat, which were characterized as "the big lie."
2020: Accusations of sexual misconduct
As of 2020, 26 women had publicly accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct, including rape, kissing without consent, groping, looking under women's skirts, and walking in on naked teenage pageant contestants. He has denied all of the allegations.
2020: Drop in international approval ratings
From 2017 to 2020 during Donald Trump's first term, international approval ratings of U.S. leadership dropped from about 22 percent to just 16 percent.
2020: 2020 presidential election overturning attempts
In 2020, Donald Trump made attempts to overturn the results of the presidential election.
2020: Trump Uses "Rigged Election" Rhetoric
In 2020, Donald Trump mentioned "rigged election" and "election interference" during his campaign.
2020: Trump identifies as nondenominational Christian
In 2020, Donald Trump stated that he was a nondenominational Christian.
2020: Lawsuits against media outlets
In 2020, Donald Trump's presidential campaign sued The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN for defamation in opinion pieces about his stance on Russian election interference. All suits were dismissed.
2020: Promotion of antimalarial drugs for COVID-19
In 2020, Donald Trump's unproven promotion of antimalarial drugs as a treatment for COVID-19 led to a U.S. shortage and panic-buying in Africa and South Asia.
2020: Racketeering case related to the 2020 election in Georgia is pending
In 2020, a racketeering case related to the election is pending in Georgia.
2020: Response to COVID-19 pandemic
In 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Donald Trump downplayed its severity, contradicted health officials, and signed the CARES Act.
2020: Trump Sowed Doubts About the Election
Starting in early 2020, Trump sowed doubts about the election, claiming without evidence that it would be rigged and that widespread use of mail balloting would produce massive election fraud.
2020: Trump Efforts to Overturn Election
These events are in connection with Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his involvement in the January 6 attack.
January 6, 2021: Trump's Rally and Capitol Attack
On January 6, 2021, Donald Trump held a rally at the Ellipse, urging his supporters to "fight like hell" and march to the Capitol. His supporters then formed a mob that broke into the building.
January 13, 2021: House Charged Trump with Incitement of Insurrection
On January 13, 2021, the House of Representatives charged Donald Trump with incitement of insurrection following the January 6 Capitol attack.
February 2021: Trump Registered Trump Media & Technology Group
In February 2021, Donald Trump registered a new company, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), for providing "social networking services" to U.S. customers.
February 2021: Release of Tax Records Allowed
In February 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed Donald Trump's tax records to be released to the Manhattan district attorney for a criminal investigation.
May 2021: Trump and Supporters Began Using 'Big Lie' Term
In May 2021, Donald Trump and many of his supporters began using the term "big lie" to refer to the 2020 election itself.
July 2021: Federal Agencies Report No Gifts Received
In July 2021, The Washington Post surveyed federal agencies, which reported that they had not received any gifts from Donald Trump after July 2020, despite his earlier publicized donations of his presidential salary.
2021: C-SPAN Presidential Historians Survey
After Donald Trump's first term, historians ranked Trump as the fourth-worst president in C-SPAN's 2021 survey of presidential historians.
2021: Americans Question Trump's Religiosity
Between 2017 and 2021 during Trump's first presidency, 63 percent of Americans did not believe that he was religious, despite his professed Christian affiliation.
2021: Refugee Admissions Reduced
In 2021, Donald Trump reduced the number of refugees admitted to the United States to a record low of 15,000, down from an annual limit of 110,000 before he took office.
2021: Resignation from SAG-AFTRA
In 2021, Donald Trump resigned from SAG-AFTRA to avoid a disciplinary hearing regarding the January 6 attack. Two days later, the union permanently barred him.
2021: Donald Trump's presidency ends
In 2021, Donald Trump's term as the 45th president of the United States came to an end.
2021: January 6 Capitol attack and second impeachment
In 2021, following his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, the January 6 Capitol attack occurred, and Donald Trump was impeached for incitement of insurrection, though he was later acquitted.
2021: Lowest approval rating
In a 2021 Gallup poll, Donald Trump was the only president never to reach a 50 percent approval rating and was the first not to be named most admired in his first year in office.
2021: Inflation Surge
The inflation surge in 2021 was one of the reasons why Trump won the election in 2024
January 2022: National Archives Retrieved Documents from Mar-a-Lago
In January 2022, the National Archives and Records Administration retrieved 15 boxes of documents that Donald Trump had taken to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House, some of which were classified.
February 2022: Launch of Truth Social
In February 2022, Donald Trump launched his own social media platform, Truth Social.
August 8, 2022: FBI Searched Mar-a-Lago
On August 8, 2022, FBI agents searched Mar-a-Lago for illegally held documents, including those in breach of the Espionage Act, collecting 11 sets of classified documents, some marked top secret.
September 2022: Settlement Reached Regarding Mazars Subpoena
In September 2022, Donald Trump and the House Oversight Committee reached a settlement regarding Mazars, and the firm began turning over documents.
November 2022: Trump Announced Candidacy for 2024 Presidential Election
In November 2022, Donald Trump announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election and created a fundraising account.
November 2022: Trump's Twitter account reinstated
In November 2022, Elon Musk reinstated Donald Trump's Twitter account after acquiring Twitter.
December 2022: House Committee Recommended Criminal Charges Against Trump
In December 2022, the U.S. House committee on the January 6 attack recommended criminal charges against Donald Trump for obstructing an official proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and inciting or assisting an insurrection.
2022: New York Filed Civil Lawsuit Against Trump
In 2022, New York filed a civil lawsuit against Donald Trump accusing him of inflating the Trump Organization's value.
2022: Roe v. Wade Overturned
In 2022, Roe v. Wade was overturned by Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Trump later took credit, noting that all three of his Supreme Court nominees voted with the majority.
2022: Siena College Research Institute Survey
The Siena College Research Institute's 2022 survey ranked Donald Trump as the third-worst president.
January 2023: Return to Facebook and Instagram
In January 2023, Donald Trump's two-year ban at Meta Platforms lapsed, allowing him to return to Facebook and Instagram.
March 2023: Campaign Began Diverting Donations to Leadership PAC
In March 2023, Donald Trump's campaign began diverting ten percent of the donations to his leadership PAC.
June 2023: Trump Indicted by Special Counsel Jack Smith
In June 2023, a federal grand jury constituted by Special Counsel Jack Smith indicted Donald Trump on 31 counts of "willfully retaining national defense information" under the Espionage Act, among other charges.
August 2023: Trump Indicted in Fulton County, Georgia
In August 2023, a grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia, indicted Donald Trump on 13 charges, including racketeering, for his efforts to subvert the 2020 election in the state.
2023: Liable in civil cases for sexual abuse, defamation and business fraud
In 2023, Donald Trump was found liable in civil cases for sexual abuse, defamation, and business fraud.
2023: Inflation Surge
The inflation surge in 2023 was one of the reasons why Trump won the election in 2024
March 2024: Campaign Paid $100 Million Towards Legal Bills
By March 2024, Donald Trump's campaign had paid $100 million towards his legal bills.
March 2024: TMTG Became Public Company
In March 2024, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) merged with Digital World Acquisition and became a public company.
May 2024: Trump Convicted on 34 Felony Counts
In May 2024, Donald Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to hush-money payments.
July 13, 2024: Assassination Attempt on Trump
On July 13, 2024, Donald Trump was shot in the ear during an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler Township, Pennsylvania.
July 2024: Case Dismissed Against Trump
In July 2024, Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case against Donald Trump, ruling Special Counsel Jack Smith's appointment as special prosecutor was unconstitutional.
November 2024: Trump Wins the 2024 Election
In November 2024, Donald Trump won the election with 312 electoral votes and 49.8% of the popular vote against Kamala Harris. His victory was attributed to a global backlash against incumbent parties due to the 2021-2023 inflation surge.
December 2024: Federal Appeals Courts Upheld Carroll Findings
In December 2024, federal appeals courts upheld the findings and awards in the E. Jean Carroll defamation case.
2024: Support for outlawing political dissent
By 2024, Donald Trump repeatedly voiced support for outlawing political dissent and criticism, suggesting that reporters should be prosecuted and media companies should possibly lose their broadcast licenses.
2024: Intensified Rhetoric During Campaign
Donald Trump's rhetoric intensified during his 2024 presidential campaign, using fearmongering and demagogy.
2024: Use of AI-generated content
During his 2024 campaign and second presidency, Donald Trump frequently posted AI-generated content of himself as pop-culture icons or mocking immigrants.
2024: Promise to release Epstein files
During the 2024 campaign, Donald Trump promised to release files relating to Jeffrey Epstein.
2024: Attacks Against Kamala Harris' Racial Identity
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump made false attacks against the racial identity of his opponent, Kamala Harris, that were described as reminiscent of the birther conspiracy theory. His 2024 campaign made extensive use of dehumanizing language and racial stereotypes.
2024: 708 million dollars in 2024
In 1973, Cohn helped Trump countersue the U.S. government for $100 million, equivalent to $708 million in 2024.
2024: Report on Foreign Government Payments
In 2024, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington reported that Donald Trump had donated $448,000 of an estimated $13.6 million in payments from foreign governments during his first term.
2024: Trump Refuses to Commit to Accepting Election Results
In 2024, Donald Trump refused to commit to accepting the election results and analysts noted the intensification of his "heads I win; tails you cheated" rhetorical strategy, with claims of a rigged election becoming the backbone of the campaign.
2024: Conviction for falsifying business records
In 2024, Donald Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records, making him the first U.S. president convicted of a felony.
2024: Fred Trump paid his children about $265,000 a year in 2024 dollars.
In 2024, Fred Trump paid his children each about $20,000 a year, equivalent to $265,000 a year.
2024: IRS investigation on losses incurred through construction cost overruns
In 2024, The New York Times and ProPublica reported that the Internal Revenue Service was investigating whether Donald Trump had twice written off losses incurred through construction cost overruns and lagging sales of residential units in the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago he had declared to be worthless on his 2008 tax return.
2024: APSA ranking of presidents
In 2024, members of the American Political Science Association ranked Donald Trump as the worst president.
2024: Equivalent Value of 1988 Loan
In 2024, the $380 million loan Donald Trump took in 1988 is equivalent to $1.01 billion.
January 10, 2025: Trump Given No-Penalty Sentence
On January 10, 2025, the judge gave Donald Trump a no-penalty sentence known as an unconditional discharge, saying that punitive requirements would have interfered with presidential immunity.
January 20, 2025: Trump's Second Term Begins
On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump began his second term as president, becoming the oldest individual to assume the presidency, the first president with a felony conviction, and the second person to serve two nonconsecutive terms.
February 2025: Contentious Meeting with Ukrainian President
In February 2025, Donald Trump and Vice President Vance berated Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a highly contentious televised meeting, described by media outlets as an unprecedented public confrontation between an American president and a foreign head of state.
February 2025: Elon Musk as Special Government Employee
In February 2025, the White House stated that Elon Musk was a special government employee, and Donald Trump gave Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to many federal government agencies.
July 2025: Actions Against Political Opponents
By July 2025, Donald Trump had extracted more than $1.2 billion in settlements as part of a "cultural crackdown" against various institutions. These actions, aimed at political opponents and civil society, were described as authoritarian and negatively impacting the rule of law.
July 2025: One Big Beautiful Bill Act Signed into Law
In July 2025, Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law, making the tax cuts of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent, increasing funding for national defense, deportations, the border wall, and a missile shield, and removing tax credits for clean energy projects. It also cut funding for Medicaid and SNAP with additional work requirements.
July 2025: Qatar Provides Luxury Jet for Air Force One
In July 2025, the Trump administration accepted a $400 million luxury jet from Qatar to serve as Air Force One until the end of his second term, with retrofitting estimated to cost up to $1 billion.
August 2025: Dismissals and Multiple Jobs
By August 2025, Donald Trump had dismissed or fired several of his own nominees and gave existing personnel multiple jobs.
August 2025: Trump's Financial Disclosure
In August 2025, Donald Trump's mandatory disclosure of investment showed that, since taking office, he had made 690 purchases of municipal bonds and corporate stock totaling around at least $104 million, including stock in companies affected by his changes to federal policies.
August 2025: Appeals Court Upheld Trump's Liability
In August 2025, the appeals court upheld Donald Trump's liability and nonmonetary penalties in the New York civil lawsuit but voided the monetary penalty as excessive.
September 2025: Federal Appeals Courts Upheld Carroll Findings
In September 2025, federal appeals courts upheld the findings and awards in the E. Jean Carroll battery case.
October 9, 2025: Israel and Hamas Sign Ceasefire Agreement
On October 9, 2025, Israel and Hamas signed an agreement to cease fire and exchange Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners as part of Donald Trump's initiative to end the Gaza war.
2025: White South African Refugee Program
In 2025, Donald Trump promoted false claims of white genocide in South Africa and created the White South African refugee program.
2025: Estimated Net Worth by Forbes
In 2025, Forbes estimated Donald Trump's net worth at $5.1 billion and ranked him the 700th wealthiest person in the world.
2025: Controversy over Epstein files
In 2025, media attention and public pressure mounted when Donald Trump's administration did not release files relating to Jeffrey Epstein, despite his promise to do so during the 2024 campaign.
2025: Trump's Executive Orders and Legal Challenges
In 2025, upon taking office, Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders, many of which tested his legal authority and drew immediate legal action. Analysis showed that nearly two-thirds of his executive actions mirrored proposals from Project 2025, and several actions ignored or violated federal laws, regulations, and the Constitution.
2026: Medicaid and SNAP Changes Effective After Election
The cuts and additional requirements to Medicaid and SNAP, as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, will take effect after the 2026 general election.
2034: Projected Budget Deficit
The Congressional Budget Office projected that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act would increase the budget deficit by $3.4 trillion by 2034.
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