It is rare, in the world’s oldest democracy, to see a former president actively preparing his return to the White House after leaving it. Only Grover Cleveland, elected 22e President of the United States in 1884 and 24e in 1892, achieved this. Four more have failed. Donald J. Trump is therefore only the sixth former president to attempt such a comeback. But the conditions in which he is seeking the nomination of the Republican Party are unprecedented.
The former president is the target of multiple legal proceedings. Two involve conspiracy charges against the United States, linked to its ongoing and documented efforts to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Seven of these proceedings are expected to result in trials and possible convictions this year, while even as Mr. Trump will be engaged in the battle of the Republican primary.
The multiplicity of trials against Donald Trump is shaking up the American election year, which should attract even more attention than usual. The complex process of primaries and caucuses to nominate Republican and Democratic candidates begins on January 15 in Iowa, culminating in the conventions of both parties this summer. The names of the contenders could be known sooner, if their opponents throw in the towel before these two deadlines. Like every four years, the date of March 5, Super Tuesday, could be decisive.
Donald Trump has an overwhelming lead in the Republican electorate (more than 60% in national polls), and his popularity seems to suffer only superficially from his escapades and his behavior. And the numerous courtrooms where he is called to appear will be so many platforms that he intends to exploit to present himself as a martyr victim of “corrupt elites” and justice “politicized”.
In August 2023, according to the figures aggregated by the specialized site FiveThirtyEight, Trump only fell by an average of five points in the polls after his indictment in Georgia for trying to manipulate the presidential results in that state. In the weeks following his famous mug shot (forensic mugshot), his popularity rose even higher.
The chronology below lists all the important dates, of an electoral or judicial nature, of this decisive year for the United States. It will be updated regularly.