In November 2016, Donald Trump was elected 45th president of the United States after his victory against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
While the Democratic candidate won the popular vote with 65.8 million votes, compared to 62.9 million for Trump, Trump won several key states, giving him more electoral college votes. For a candidate to become president of the country, he must obtain the minimum majority of electoral votes, i.e. 270. Clinton received 227 electoral votes, while Trump received 307.
But four years later, the Democrats regained control of the White Housewith 306 electoral votes cast for Joe Biden, compared to 232 electoral votes for Trump. As a result, Biden, who had served as vice president during the Obama administration, became the 46th President of the United States.
The 45th or 47th president? or both?
But 2020 did not mark the end of Donald Trump’s political future, and in November 2024, he defeated Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, securing his second term in the White House by winning both the Electoral College and the popular vote.. Although Trump prevailed over Harris by just 1.5 percentage points, he garnered eighty-six additional Electoral College votes, with a final total of 312 for Trump against 226 for Harriss. Does Trump’s return to the White House make him the 45th or 47th president of the United States?

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According to the 22nd Amendment to the United States Constitution, “No person may be elected to the office of president more than twice. » Donald Trump was allowed to run again because the law does not provide that the two mandates must be combined. Following his victory in November, Trump became the second individual in the country’s history to win a presidential term after losing re-election.
The first to do so was Grover Clevelandwho returned to the White House in 1892 after losing re-election to Benjamin Harrison in 1888.
No one can take away his title. 45th President of the United States. However, due to the division of the two mandates by the Biden presidency, it will also be recognized like the 47th president.