Donald Trump served as the 45th president of the United States between January 2017-January 2021. He was preceded by Barack Obama and followed by Joe Biden, who took office in January 2021. After winning the 2024 US presidential election, Trump is set to become the 47th president.
Trump ran in the 2016 presidential race as the Republican candidate against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Despite losing the popular vote by almost three million votes, Trump received 306 electoral college votes in comparison to Clinton's 232 and became the fifth person in US history to be elected president while losing the popular vote.
The first US president to be elected without any prior military or government service, Trump was a well-known media personality and businessman before his arrival on the political scene.
His presidency was highly divisive and was characterized by many controversial policies including a travel ban on citizens from several Muslim-majority countries, his plan to build a wall across the US-Mexico border, and his leadership during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, to name a few.
Following the 2020 presidential elections, Trump refused to concede to Biden, claiming that there had been widespread electoral fraud despite several recounts contradicting him. On January 6, 2021, Trump urged his supports to protest the presidential transition by marching to the Capitol, resulting in multiple deaths. On January 13, the House of Representatives impeached Trump for incitement of insurrection, although he was acquitted by the Senate on February 13 after he had already left office.
In 2024, Trump emerged victorious in a campaign against Vice President Kamala Harris. This marks the second time in US history that a president would serve non-consecutive terms, preceded only by Grover Cleaveland (1885-1889 and 1893-1897).
Trump's second term is both a challenge and an opportunity for Israeli-American relations.
“It doesn’t get more American than this,” said Marc Zell, chairman of Republicans Overseas Israel (ROI) as he offered a le’chaim to a crowd of relieved volunteers.
Trump took full credit for the hostage deal during an interview.
Trump’s cabinet and inner circle will be composed of both staunch isolationists and stalwart war hawks.
Keith Siegel will return to Israel after a year to the news that his mother has died while Sagui Dekel-Chen will return to learn his third daughter was born.
Let us pray that we may all find the strength to face the challenges ahead with grace and determination and avoid the destructive recrimination that accompanies the all-too-common blame game.
Ministers from the Religious Zionists Party and Otzma Yehudit, as well as Likud Ministers David Amsalem and Amichai Chikli, voted against the deal.
Examining the complexities of hostage deals with Hamas, justice, and the ongoing impact on Israel’s fight against terrorism.
Once shunned for antisemitic remarks, Mel Gibson now represents Trump’s Hollywood agenda.
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