AP PHOTOS: Donald Trump's historic comeback campaign in pictures

AP PHOTOS: Donald Trump’s historic comeback campaign in pictures

1 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump waves as he walks with former first lady Melania Trump at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

2 of 44 |

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Greensboro, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

3 of 44 |

President Joe Biden, right, and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, left, participate in a presidential debate hosted by CNN, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

4 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at PPL Center, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in Allentown, Pa. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

5 of 44 |

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump hugs and kisses the American flag as he speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC 2024, at National Harbor, in Oxon Hill, Md., Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

6 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at PPL Center, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in Allentown, Pa. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

7 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Allentown, Pa., Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

8 of 44 |

Former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, in Reno, Nev. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

9 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump gestures at a campaign rally at the Santander Arena, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, in Reading, Pa. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

10 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump pumps his fist as he arrives to speak at a campaign event at Nassau Coliseum, Wednesday, Sept.18, 2024, in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

11 of 44 |

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

12 of 44 |

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gestures as he arrives at the Republican National Convention Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

13 of 44 |

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump appears with vice presidential candidate JD Vance, R-Ohio, during the Republican National Convention, Monday, July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

14 of 44 |

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is introduced during the final night of the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

15 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris shake hands before the start of an ABC News presidential debate at the National Constitution Center, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

16 of 44 |

From left, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, President Joe Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, attend the 9/11 Memorial ceremony on the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

17 of 44 |

Forgiato Blow wears a necklace with a likeness of former President Donald Trump before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

18 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives to speak during a campaign rally at Dodge County Airport, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Juneau, Wis. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

19 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump on stage before speaking at a campaign rally at Cherry Capital Airport, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Traverse City, Mich. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

20 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump stands on stage with steelworkers as he speaks during a campaign rally at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Latrobe, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

21 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump serves french fries as an employee looks on during a visit to McDonald’s in Feasterville-Trevose, Pa., Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Doug Mills/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

22 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump talks to reporters as he sits in a garbage truck Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

23 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump acknowledges the crowd as he exits the stage after speaking at the Israeli American Council National Summit, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

24 of 44 |

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

25 of 44 |

FILE - Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump meets with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump Tower, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)

26 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump poses for a photo at a campaign event at ll Toro E La Capra, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

27 of 44 |

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump sits with Lara Trump and her children Luke and Carolina during the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

28 of 44 |

Former President Donald Trump speaks with reporters while in flight on his plane after a campaign rally at Waco Regional Airport, in Waco, Texas, Saturday, March 25, 2023, while en route to West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

29 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference held at Trump Tower, Friday, Sept., 6, 2024 in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

30 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives for a campaign event, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Erie, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

31 of 44 |

Former President Donald Trump gestures before speaking at the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women Lilac Luncheon, Tuesday, June 27, 2023, in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

32 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem dance to the song “Y.M.C.A.” at a campaign town hall at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center & Fairgrounds, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Oaks, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

33 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

34 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump greets former first lady Melania Trump during a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

35 of 44 |

Latino leaders pray with Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump as he participates in a roundtable with Latino leaders Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Doral, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

36 of 44 |

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump attends the final night of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

37 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

38 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

39 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Mint Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

40 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Latrobe, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

41 of 44 |

Supporters watch returns at a campaign election night watch party for Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

42 of 44 |

43 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at a campaign rally at Albuquerque International Sunport, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Albuquerque, N.M. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

44 of 44 |

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Donald Trump’s decisive presidential victory this week caps a turbulent four years out of office for the Republican leader. During his time away from the White House, Trump went from embattled one-term president facing internal Republican challengers and multiple trials to a resurgent president-elect with a broad mandate from voters nationwide.

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

Those questions, however, were short-lived.

The former president faced primary challengers — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Trump’s own former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley. But it quickly became clear that Trump’s hold on the Republican base remained dominant. Four criminal indictments, one of which resulted in a felony conviction, did little to damage his popularity and played into Trump’s own narrative that he was being targeted by a vengeful Justice Department.

Trump began the general election running against President Joe Biden, a man he cast as old and out-of-touch. After their first and only debate against each other, one that 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.

Not PARSE.LY: Donald Trump

An aerial view of Xiasha Container Terminal on a canal in Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang province Sunday, April 06, 2025. (Chinatopix Via AP)

China threatens countermeasures after Trump threatens additional 50% tariff

An electronic display shows financial information on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock index up 5.5% as world markets gyrate under tariffs uncertainty

This undated file image released by the U.S. Navy shows Rear Adm. Shoshana Chatfield. (U.S Navy via AP, File)

Trump administration fires senior Navy female officer at NATO. She appeared on a ‘woke’ list

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

Trump’s victory represents a jolt to American politics and allows him to enter the White House in January 2025 from a position of strength. Speaking to his election night party early on Wednesday morning, Trump claimed “an unprecedented and powerful mandate.”