From legal cases to attempted assassinations, 2024 proved to be a roller coaster in U.S. politics. Former President Donald Trump became president-elect, setting up a historic return to the White House in January. He faced many ups and downs throughout the year.
For the current president, Joe Biden, this year was also full of ups and downs, as he started the year as the presumptive Democratic nominee for president but ultimately ended his political career in an unanticipated fashion.
Here’s a look at the news stories that shaped American politics this year, month by month.
January
Trump ordered to pay $83.3 million for defaming E. Jean Carroll
On Jan. 26, a jury in New York found Trump liable for defaming writer E. Jean Carroll, ordering him to pay her a total of $83.3 million in damages. The award includes $11 million for damage to her reputation, $7.3 million for emotional harm and other damages, and $65 million for punitive damages.
During closing arguments, Trump stormed out of the courtroom before the jury reached its verdict. He was already found liable in September 2023 for defaming Carroll while he was president for mocking her claim that he had sexually abused her. Trump also testified at the trial for just under five minutes, during which he clashed with the judge and called Carroll’s accusations false.
Trump wins the Iowa caucuses
In the first big step toward Trump gaining the Republican presidential nomination, Trump won the Iowa caucuses. He defeated Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley by a wide margin, winning 51% of the vote. Just after the Iowa caucuses, Trump won the New Hampshire primary with 54.4% of the vote against Haley. DeSantis withdrew from the race on Jan. 21.
February
Special counsel Robert Hur recommends no charges against Biden over classified documents
Special counsel Robert Hur declined to prosecute Biden for his handling of classified documents, but said in a report that Biden’s actions “present serious risks to national security.” Another part of the puzzle, Hur said, is that Biden could have used the defense of poor memory, which would be sympathetic to a jury.
The saga about classified documents and Biden began in 2022, when Biden’s personal attorneys found classified documents appearing from the Obama administration at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, which Biden used as a personal office. Classified documents were also found in Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware, home.
McConnell announces he’s stepping down as Senate GOP leader
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced in February that he was stepping down from his position leading Republicans in the Senate. McConnell, who has held the post since 2007, announced his departure in a speech on the Senate floor. In his speech, he said, “One of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter.”
McConnell will be replaced in January 2025 by Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, who was chosen as the new Senate majority leader during elections in November. Though he is stepping down from a leadership position, McConnell will remain in the Senate until at least January 2027.
March
Supreme Court rules Trump can’t be removed from the ballot in Colorado
The Supreme Court handed a sweeping win to Trump in March when it ruled unanimously that states can’t remove him from the ballot over his actions surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. The court reversed the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling, which found that Trump could not serve again as president under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.
The amendment prohibits those who previously held government positions but later “engaged in insurrection” from running for various offices. However, the Supreme Court determined that the Colorado Supreme Court wrongly assumed that states can determine whether a candidate is eligible to run for office.
Trump secures the 2024 Republican nomination for president
On March 12, Trump secured enough delegates to become the official Republican nominee for president. This sealed a rematch of the 2020 election, with Trump again to face Biden.
Trump went into the primaries in Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi and Washington as the presumptive nominee, with Haley having dropped out of the race after winning only one state on Super Tuesday. Trump’s victories in these states pushed him over the 1,215-delegate mark needed for a majority.
April
Arizona Supreme Court rules that a near-total abortion ban from 1864 is enforceable
In a historic move, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that a 160-year-old near-total abortion ban was enforceable. The ruling allowed an 1864 law in Arizona to stand, which would have made abortion a felony punishable by two to five years in prison for anyone who performs one or helps a woman obtain one. The law, which was changed in 1901, bans abortion from the moment of conception but includes an exception to save the woman’s life.
This ruling caused a backlash in the state, as it essentially undid a lower court’s ruling that held that a more recent 15-week ban from March 2022 superseded the 1864 law. The Arizona Supreme Court then put the decision on hold for 14 days after backlash from Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on the issue.
Supreme Court hears Trump immunity case
At the end of April, the Supreme Court heard Trump’s presidential immunity case, with arguments centering on whether a former president can be prosecuted for “official acts taken in office.”
In July, it ruled that Trump has some immunity for some of his alleged conduct as president in his federal election interference case. The justices voted 6-3 to reject Trump’s broad claim of immunity, meaning the charges related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results would not be dismissed.
May
Arizona governor signs a bill to allow abortions up to 15 weeks into pregnancy
After the controversial Arizona Supreme Court ruling in April, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed a repeal of the state’s near-total abortion ban. She signed it inside the state Capitol just one day after the state Senate passed it.
However, the journey to signing the repeal was no easy feat. A week before it got to the governor, the state House passed the repeal on its third attempt in three weeks. Months later, Arizonans also voted for Proposition 139, which establishes a fundamental right to abortion under the Arizona Constitution.
Trump becomes the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime
Trump made history in many ways this year, including by becoming the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime. At the end of May, a New York jury found Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
The jury reached its verdict after 9 ½ hours of deliberations. Trump had pleaded not guilty to falsifying business records related to a hush money payment his former lawyer Michael Cohen made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the final weeks of the 2016 presidential election.
Trump was originally set to be sentenced in July of this year, but as of late December, sentencing was still pending and the judge had denied the president-elect’s bid to vacate his guilty verdict on presidential immunity grounds.
June
Hunter Biden convicted of three felony counts in Delaware
At the beginning of June, a jury found Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, guilty of three felony gun charges after a weeklong trial focusing on his history of addiction. Biden was charged in federal court in Wilmington with three felony counts tied to possession of a gun while using narcotics. He pleaded not guilty.
The trial was the first involving the child of a sitting president. If he were to have been sentenced, he could have faced prison time. Two of the counts carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, while the third carries a maximum of five years.
Biden and Trump face off in debate
In what would become a pivotal moment in Biden’s political career, Biden and Trump faced off in their first presidential debate. During the debate, Trump provided no new answers for voters on crucial issues, including his felony conviction, his role in overturning Roe v. Wade, and his actions on Jan. 6, 2021.
Throughout the 90 minutes, Biden struggled through answers and failed to deliver an energetic performance. As the debate began, Biden’s voice was hoarse, his throat didn’t sound clear, and he spoke softly while struggling through some of his responses. His performance ultimately led 37 congressional Democrats to call on him to drop out of the race.
July
Trump shot in Pennsylvania at a campaign rally
On July 13, Trump was speaking onstage at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when shots rang out about six minutes into his remarks. A bullet hit his ear, resulting in him being rushed offstage and taken to the hospital.
One spectator, Corey Comperatore, died as a result of the gunshots. Two other spectators were also injured. The shooter, Thomas Crooks, was killed by the Secret Service at the scene of the incident after shooting from a rooftop nearby. Crooks’ motive in the shooting was believed to be political ideology.
Five days after Trump was shot, he delivered an address at the Republican National Convention with a bandage on his ear. “As you already know, the assassin’s bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life,” Trump said, thanking his supporters.
As a result of the incident, U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle testified at a House Oversight Committee hearing, which ultimately led various lawmakers to call on her to resign. She resigned on July 23.
Joe Biden drops out of the presidential race
After a busy 25 days of political news, Biden shook up the state of the presidential race by withdrawing his name from the Democratic Party ticket. Weeks before his announcement, Biden had insisted that he was sticking in the race. But ultimately, according to a source with direct knowledge, he told his staff he had changed his mind.
He made the announcement on X, writing, “While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”
Biden then endorsed Harris to be his replacement in the race, which led her to become the new presumptive Democratic nominee. She then began campaigning to earn the Democratic Party’s official nomination and gain support from people in the party.
August
RFK Jr. suspends campaign, endorses Trump
On Aug. 23, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspended his independent run for president and endorsed Trump in a speech in Arizona. His campaign first confirmed the news in a court filing in Pennsylvania.
In 2023, Kennedy ended his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination and instead chose to run as an independent. He used his withdrawal speech this year to criticize Harris and the Democratic Party, saying they were “abandon[ing] democracy.”
Harris accepts nomination for president
In a speech at the Democratic National Convention, Harris made history as she accepted the Democratic nomination for president. Standing onstage as the first woman elected vice president of the United States, Harris became the first Black and South Asian woman to be named a major-party presidential nominee.
After only being on the trail for a month, Harris picked her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and raised nearly $500 million by the time she accepted the nomination. In her speech, she shared her biography and her priorities if she were to win.
September
Harris and Trump have their first and only debate
In what would be their only debate of the presidential campaign, Harris and Trump faced off on issues including abortion and lowering consumer costs. Notably, Trump dodged on whether he would veto a federal abortion ban after his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, told “Meet the Press” that Trump would veto it. As for Harris, she leaned in on lowering costs, highlighting her plan for what she called an “opportunity economy.”
Also at the debate, Trump spun rumors that Haitian immigrants were eating pets in Springfield, Ohio, saying, “They’re eating the dogs, they’re eating the cats.” However, there was no evidence to indicate that such actions were happening. Vance also advanced the claims, writing before the debate that people had contacted his office saying this was happening.
Second assassination attempt against Trump in Florida
On a Sunday afternoon in West Palm Beach, Florida, shots were fired at Trump’s golf course, leading to what the FBI would deem an apparent “attempted assassination.” Shortly before 2 p.m., Trump was playing a round of golf near his home when a Secret Service agent spotted a rifle with a scope in the bushes outside the course.
The Secret Service then opened fire on the man, who escaped and was eventually arrested. Ryan Wesley Routh was then identified as the suspect and indicted by the Department of Justice on charges including attempted assassination.
October
Jimmy Carter turns 100
Former President Jimmy Carter made history this year by becoming the first former U.S. president to turn 100. Carter, who served one term in the White House, hit the milestone while at his home in Plains, Georgia. Carter has been receiving hospice care at his home since February 2023.
After turning 100, Carter voted by mail for Harris, which his family said was his goal. Carter has lived nearly six years longer than the next oldest former president, George H.W. Bush, who died at 94.
Vance and Walz have their debate
At the beginning of the month, Vance and Walz faced off in a vice presidential debate, tackling issues like immigration and school shootings. Both candidates used the platform to attack the other’s party and serve as a voice for their respective running mates.
During the debate, both addressed their separate controversies. Walz admitted to misspeaking on whether he had visited Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square protests in the spring of 1989. As for Vance, he defended himself on his past criticism of Trump, in which he said in 2017 that Trump could become “America’s Hitler.”
November
Trump wins the election
Trump secured the votes to become the 47th president, with 312 Electoral College votes to Harris’ 226. He also won every battleground state. In 2020, the only battleground state he won was North Carolina.
NBC News projected Trump’s win early Wednesday morning, the day after Election Day. After she knew she lost, Harris called Trump to concede the race and addressed supporters at Howard University, emphasizing a peaceful transfer of power.
Trump became the first former president to lose his job and then win it back since Grover Cleveland in 1892. He also saw a huge jump in Latino support, with a 25-point swing in his favor compared to four years ago.
Special counsel Jack Smith dismisses the 2020 election interference case
Special counsel Jack Smith filed motions to drop all federal charges against Trump over allegations he mishandled classified documents, as well as those involving Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan granted the motion hours later.
Trump was first indicted in June 2023 in a Miami federal court on 37 felony counts alleging he mishandled classified documents. Separately, he was indicted in August 2023 over his attempt to reverse the 2020 election results.
December
Biden pardons his son Hunter
In an unexpected shift, Biden pardoned his son Hunter, saying that “raw politics” impacted Hunter’s conviction. The president made his decision just 10 days before Hunter Biden was set to be sentenced on his federal gun charge conviction. On Dec. 16, Hunter Biden was also set to be sentenced in a different case, in which he pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion charges.
These two sentencing dates went away under the president’s “full and unconditional pardon,” which covers any crimes that may have been committed from Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 1, 2024. In previous statements, Biden insisted that he would let the justice system do its work and that he would not consider a pardon for his son. After Hunter Biden was found guilty in June, Biden said, “I will not pardon him.”
Biden commutes the sentences of about 1,500 nonviolent offenders
In the largest single day of clemency to date, Biden commuted the sentences of about 1,500 nonviolent offenders. He also pardoned about 39 people on the same day. Many of the offenders who were pardoned or whose sentences were commuted have ties to illegal drugs, and some were released from prison under the CARES Act to prevent overcrowding in federal prisons.
Many of those who received pardons had long ago completed their sentences, but the crimes will now be wiped from their records. The 39 pardoned people include a decorated military veteran who volunteers at a church, a nurse who leads responses to natural disasters and an addiction counselor who works with young people.
In the announcement, the White House also said Biden was the first president to issue “categorical pardons” for people convicted of the use and possession of marijuana, and for LGBTQ former service members convicted because of their sexual orientation.
