It is a question that hits Google search bars millions of times a day: who is the president of the united states now? Right now, as we sit here in early 2026, the answer is Donald J. Trump. He is the 47th president.
If that feels like a bit of a "wait, again?" moment for you, you aren't alone. It is actually quite a historic quirk. Trump is only the second person in the history of the entire country to serve two non-consecutive terms. The last guy to pull this off was Grover Cleveland back in the late 1800s. Basically, Trump was the 45th president, then Joe Biden was the 46th, and now Trump has returned as the 47th.
Honestly, the political landscape is moving so fast right now that even keeping track of who is in the Cabinet feels like a full-time job. But as of today, January 18, 2026, the buck stops with Trump.
The current state of the White House
We are currently in the second year of this term. Trump was inaugurated on January 20, 2025. Interestingly, that inauguration had to be moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda because the weather in D.C. was absolutely brutal—freezing temperatures and high winds.
Working alongside him is Vice President JD Vance. If you remember, Vance was a senator from Ohio before he took the leap onto the national ticket. He’s currently the 50th Vice President of the United States.
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The administration has been... busy. That’s probably the understatement of the year. Since moving back into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the focus has been on some pretty massive shifts in how the federal government operates. You’ve likely heard about "DOGE"—the Department of Government Efficiency—which was launched with a lot of fanfare involving Elon Musk to try and trim down the federal bureaucracy.
Why the "who is the president of the united states now" question is tricky
Sometimes people get confused because of the way terms are numbered. Even though Trump is one person, he counts as two different presidents (45 and 47) because his time in office was interrupted.
Then there is the international drama. Just this month, there’s been a ton of noise about Venezuela. There was a major U.S.-led operation that resulted in the capture of Nicolas Maduro, and for a minute there, Trump was even making headlines (and social media posts) jokingly—or maybe not so jokingly—referring to himself as the acting leader there to "get the oil flowing." It's these kinds of headlines that make people double-check their search engines to see what the official status is.
Key figures in the 2026 Administration
If you're looking at who's actually running the show day-to-day, the roster looks a lot different than it did in 2017.
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- Secretary of State: Marco Rubio. He’s been the face of a very "America First" but active foreign policy, especially regarding Iran and Latin America.
- Treasury Secretary: Scott Bessent. He’s the one managing the massive tariff shifts we've seen lately.
- Chief of Staff: Susie Wiles. She’s widely considered the architect of the 2024 win and keeps the West Wing disciplined.
- Commerce Secretary: Howard Lutnick.
The Policy Blitz of Year One
Looking back at the last twelve months, it’s clear this isn't a "business as usual" presidency. Trump signed over 140 executive orders in his first hundred days. That is a staggering number. Most of these were aimed at undoing regulations from the Biden era or initiating mass layoffs within federal agencies.
One of the biggest pieces of legislation passed was the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." It’s a massive package that touched on everything from border security to domestic energy production.
Then there are the tariffs. This has been the main talking point for anyone following the economy. The administration has imposed some of the highest tariffs since the Great Depression. The goal, according to the White House, is to force manufacturing back to the U.S., but it has definitely caused some friction with allies in Europe and even Canada. In fact, Trump is currently in the news for threatening tariffs on European allies if they don't support his wild idea to annex Greenland. Yes, that conversation is back on the table.
What experts are saying about the 47th presidency
Political scientists at places like the Brookings Institution or the Heritage Foundation are naturally split on how this is going. Some see the aggressive use of executive power as a necessary "disruption" of a stagnant system. Others, however, point to "democratic backsliding."
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There’s also the legal side of things. Trump is the first person to hold the office while being a convicted felon, following the 2024 hush-money trial in New York. While his supporters see the legal battles as "lawfare" or political persecution, critics argue it creates a massive constitutional headache.
Actionable insights for staying updated
Politics in 2026 moves at the speed of a social media refresh. If you want to keep tabs on the presidency without getting lost in the noise, here is what you should do:
- Check the Federal Register: This is the boring but essential place where every executive order is officially documented. If you want to know what the president actually signed versus what people are arguing about on TV, look here.
- Follow the "DOGE" updates: If you are interested in how the government is being reorganized, this department's reports are where the real changes to federal jobs and spending are happening.
- Watch the "Most Favored Nation" drug pricing: One of the more popular moves the administration made recently was a deal with major pharmaceutical companies to lower Medicare drug prices to match European levels. Keep an eye on your pharmacy bills to see if this actually hits your pocketbook.
- Monitor the Tariff Schedule: If you’re a business owner or a frequent shopper, the fluctuating tariffs on electronics and cars are going to affect prices.
The question of who is the president of the united states now is simple on the surface, but the reality of the 47th presidency is a complex, fast-moving target that is reshaping how Washington functions.