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US ELECTION 2024

45 or 47? This will be Trump’s number in his second term as President of the United States

Trump served as the 45th president of the United States from January 20, 2017, to January 20, 2021, but what number would he occupy now that he has secured a second term.

Estados Unidos
Trump served as the 45th president of the United States from January 20, 2017, to January 20, 2021, but what number would he occupy now that he has secured a second term.
Kevin LamarqueREUTERS

In November 2016, Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States after his win against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

While the Democratic candidate won the popular vote with 65.8 million votes, compared to Trump’s 62.9 million, Trump won several key states, earning him more votes in the Electoral College. For a candidate to become president of the country, he or she must obtain the minimum majority of electoral votes, that is, 270. Clinton received 227 electoral votes, while Trump obtained 307.

Four years later, however, the Democrats regained control of the White House, with 306 electoral votes cast for Joe Biden, compared to Trump’s 232 electoral votes. 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 was not 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 only 1.5 percentage points, he garnered eighty-six more Electoral College votes, with a final tally of 312 for Trump compared to 226 for Harris. With Trump returning to the White House, does this make him the 45th or 47th President of the United States

 (Photo by Kena Betancur / AFP)
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(Photo by Kena Betancur / AFP)KENA BETANCURAFP

According to the 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution, “No person shall be elected to the office of President more than twice.” Donald Trump was allowed to run again because the law does not stipulate that the two terms must be held consecutively. After winning 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 Cleveland, who regained the White House in 1892 after losing re-election to Benjamin Harrison in 1888.

No one can take away his title as the 45th President of the United States. However, due to the two terms being split by the Biden presidency, he will also be recognized as the 47th President.