Trump Has Now Made History 4 Times After Securing A Second Term In Office

Donald Trump, the US president-elect, has broken more records by clinching a second term in the White House.

As PM Keir Starmer acknowledged this morning, the Republican’s election is definitely “historic” – and not just for his shocking comeback into mainstream politics.

Here’s four ways he has made history....

1. Trump was already the first former president to be convicted

The Republican was hit with four simultaneous prosecutions last year in a five-month period – meaning he became the first president or former president to ever be indicted.

The cases against him included allegations to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in his 2016 campaigns.

A judge found him guilty of falsifying business records tied to that payment in May this year, meaning he became the first former US president to be convicted of a felony.

He was also accused of two federal cases – allegations that he broke criminal laws by conspiring to obstruct Congress, and for keeping classified documents in his Florida home.

The former president was also charged for trying to overturn the election in Georgia too – which, if he were convicted, could carry a 20-year sentence.

That case stems from a reported phone call Trump had with an official in 2020, asking them to “find” votes to overturn his defeat to Joe Biden.

Trump pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against him, and dismissed them as “politically motivated”.

2. As of today, Trump is the first convicted criminal to be elected to the White House

That raises the question of what will happen to all of the charges against him now.

He could try and pardon himself for the federal cases of election interference and classified document cases, if he were convicted for either.

The president-elect also told journalists in October he would fire the US Special Counsel Jack Smith who led those federal prosecutions, which would likely end the case.

However he would not have the same control over the New York hush money case or Georgia’s prosecution for trying to overturn the 2020 loss – but, as US president, it’s unlikely he will face the full legal consequences.

A court date for the hush money case is currently scheduled for January 20 – before Trump is sworn in – but it’s not clear if it will go ahead.

Sentencing a president-elect before his inauguration would also be unprecedented.

3. Trump is only the second US president to ever be elected for a second, non-consecutive, term

The first one was Democrat Grover Cleveland.

He served in the White House from 1885 to 1889, as the 22nd president, and then again in 1893 to 1897, as the 24th.

Aside from these two, US presidents have only ever managed to clinch a second term which they were already incumbents – and no one in the States can be elected more than twice. 

4. Trump is the first Republican to win the popular vote since 2004

Trump unexpectedly secured approximately five million more votes than Kamala Harris, meaning he won the popular vote – even though he was not expecting it.

As Trump said at the weekend: “When you have New York, Illinois and California, you have automatically, it’s like ridiculous, automatically goes to a Democrat, it’s tough to win the popular vote because they’re three big states.”

The last time a Republican won the popular vote was in 2004, when George W Bush beat John F Kerry.