Donald Trump’s life story: From real estate to politics

Trump began the general election facing 91 felony charges across four criminal cases but his strategy of delaying legal cases has largely succeeded. Three cases will now no longer take place before the election, and his sentencing in New York – on arguably the weakest set of charges – has been delayed until late November.

On 13 July, a 20-year-old gunman attempted to assassinate Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Thomas Matthew Crooks fired eight rounds from an AR-style rifle from atop a nearby roof, wounding Trump in his right ear before the gunman was killed by counter-snippers.

Days later, at the Republican National Convention, the party lavished him with praise on him and officially coronated him the Republican presidential candidate for a third consecutive time, setting up an apparent rematch with Mr Biden.

A historically unpopular president, the Democrat’s tenure has been marked by post-pandemic economic and infrastructure gains, but also high inflation, surges in illegal immigration and foreign policy chaos.

Since Mr Biden stepped aside and endorsed his deputy, Kamala Harris, Trump has sought to tie her to the administration’s failures – with middling success.

National polls indicate that, while Ms Harris has galvanised liberal voters and raised millions of dollars, the race is deadlocked.

He has told his supporters that 5 November 2024 – the date of the US election – will be “the most important date in the history of our country”.