If you’re scratching your head trying to figure out exactly what number of president is trump, you aren't alone. It’s a bit of a trivia trap. Usually, we just count up by one every time a new person walks into the Oval Office. But history had other plans.
Donald Trump is officially both the 45th and 47th President of the United States.
That sounds like a typo, doesn't it? It isn't. Because he served a full term, left the White House in 2021, and then came back after winning the 2024 election, he holds two distinct spots in the chronological lineup. He follows Joe Biden, who was the 46th president.
Why the double numbering happens
The U.S. government counts "presidencies" rather than just the individual people. If a president serves two terms in a row, like Barack Obama or George W. Bush, they only get one number. Obama was the 44th. He stayed the 44th for eight years.
But when a president leaves and a different person takes over, the counter clicks forward.
When Joe Biden was sworn in on January 20, 2021, he became number 46. Since Trump won his way back into office in 2024 and was inaugurated in early 2025, the number moved again. That makes him the 47th.
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The Grover Cleveland Connection
Before Trump, only one other man had ever pulled this off. His name was Grover Cleveland.
Back in the late 1800s, Cleveland served as the 22nd president. He lost his reelection bid to Benjamin Harrison (who became number 23). Then, Cleveland ran again four years later and won, becoming the 24th president.
For over a century, Cleveland was the lonely answer to the "who is the only president to serve non-consecutive terms" trivia question. Now, he’s got company. Trump's return to power has officially made the list of U.S. presidents a very weird place for math.
Does this mean there have been 47 presidents?
Actually, no. This is where people get really confused.
Because two men (Cleveland and Trump) are counted twice, the total number of individuals who have served as president is actually 45.
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- Total Presidencies: 47
- Total Individuals: 45
It’s kinda like if you were the 1st and 3rd person to walk through a door. You’re still just one human, but you occupied two different slots in the sequence.
What Number of President is Trump in the official records?
If you go to the White House website or look at National Archives records today in 2026, you’ll see him listed as "45 and 47."
His first term ran from January 20, 2017, to January 20, 2021.
His second term began on January 20, 2025.
Some folks wonder if being the 47th president means he gets a "reset" on his term limits. Honestly, it doesn't. The 22nd Amendment of the Constitution is pretty strict. It says no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice. Since he won in 2016 and 2024, he’s hit the limit.
The impact on history books
Think about the poor textbook publishers. Every time this happens, they have to redesign the "Wall of Presidents" posters.
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Usually, the posters are a nice grid. 44, 45, 46... then suddenly you have to put the 45th guy back at the end as 47. It breaks the visual flow.
Historians like Douglas Brinkley or the team over at the Miller Center have to treat these terms as two separate eras because the political climate, the cabinet members, and the global challenges are so different between 2017 and 2026.
Key facts about the 45th and 47th President
Basically, if you’re taking a citizenship test or a history quiz, "47" is the current answer for who is in office. But "45" is also correct if you're talking about the man's historical entry point.
- Inauguration 1: January 20, 2017 (45th)
- Interim: Joe Biden (46th)
- Inauguration 2: January 20, 2025 (47th)
It’s worth noting that JD Vance, his current Vice President, is the 50th Vice President of the United States. The numbers for VPs don't always line up perfectly with presidents because some presidents had multiple VPs or none at all for certain periods.
What happens next?
Now that you know what number of president is trump, you can win your next dinner party debate. Just remember: he’s one person, two numbers, and part of a very small club of political comeback kids.
If you want to keep your presidential trivia sharp, your next step is to look up the "First Lady" numbering. Interestingly, Melania Trump is also considered the 45th and 47th First Lady, following the same logic as her husband. You might also want to check out the current 119th Congress records to see how the legislative branch is numbered in comparison to the executive.
The numbering will stay this way until January 20, 2029, when the 48th president is scheduled to be inaugurated.