So, you're trying to figure out who the president of the United States 2024 actually was? It sounds like a simple question. But honestly, if you look back at the history books for that specific year, it’s one of the most chaotic, "wait, what?" timelines in American politics.
Basically, for almost the entire year of 2024, Joe Biden was the President. He was the guy in the Oval Office, the one flying on Air Force One, and the one handling the day-to-day business of the country. But that’s only half the story.
2024 was the year everything flipped.
The Man in the Oval Office: Joe Biden’s 2024
Joe Biden started 2024 as the 46th President, and for the first six months, he was also the presumptive nominee for the Democratic Party. He spent most of the spring campaigning for a second term. You might remember the State of the Union in March where he was surprisingly fiery, trying to shut down the talk about his age.
But then June happened.
✨ Don't miss: Will Palestine Ever Be Free: What Most People Get Wrong
The June 27 debate against Donald Trump changed everything. It wasn't just a bad night; it was a "the-party-is-panicking" night. For the next few weeks, the news was basically a 24/7 cycle of people asking if he should step down.
On July 21, 2024, Biden did something almost no one expected an incumbent to do so late in the game. He posted a letter on social media saying he was dropping out of the race. He didn't resign from the presidency, though. He stayed in office to finish his term, which lasted until January 2025.
Key Moments for Biden in 2024:
- January–June: Focused on "Bidenomics" and student loan forgiveness.
- July 21: Officially withdrew from the 2024 election and endorsed Kamala Harris.
- Late 2024: Focused on foreign policy, specifically the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, and preparing for the transition of power.
The Return of the Challenger: Donald Trump
While Biden was governing, Donald Trump was dominated the headlines as the Republican nominee. This is where people get confused about who the president of the United States 2024 was. Because Trump won the election in November, some people misremember him as being "the President" for the year.
He wasn't. He was the President-elect.
🔗 Read more: JD Vance River Raised Controversy: What Really Happened in Ohio
Trump’s year was just as wild as Biden’s. He was balancing court dates with campaign rallies. Then came July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania. The assassination attempt. That image of him with his fist in the air basically locked in his momentum for the rest of the summer.
The 2024 Election Results
When November 5, 2024, finally rolled around, the country stayed up late—but not as late as in 2020. By the next morning, it was clear. Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris.
He won the Electoral College decisively with 312 votes to Harris's 226. He even won the popular vote, which was a first for a Republican since 2004.
So, if you’re asking who the president was on election night? Still Joe Biden. But the world was already looking at Trump. From November 6 until the end of the year, Trump was the "incoming" guy. He was at Mar-a-Lago picking his cabinet—folks like Marco Rubio for State and Pete Hegseth for Defense.
💡 You might also like: Who's the Next Pope: Why Most Predictions Are Basically Guesswork
Wait, what about Kamala Harris?
A lot of people forget how close we came to having a different answer to this question. For about 100 days, Kamala Harris was the face of the Democratic Party. She took over the campaign in July and had a massive surge in the polls.
She was the sitting Vice President throughout 2024. She stayed in that role even after the loss. She was the one who eventually had to certify the results in January 2025, which is a bit of a "tough day at the office" by any definition.
Facts vs. Misconceptions
Let's clear up some of the "kinda" true things people say about 2024.
- Was Trump president in 2024? No. He was a candidate and then the President-elect. He didn't take the oath of office until January 20, 2025.
- Did Biden quit being president in July? Nope. He just stopped running for re-election. He kept all his presidential powers until the very end of his term.
- Who was the 47th President? That’s Donald Trump, but he didn't officially get that title until 2025. In 2024, he was still the former 45th President.
Why 2024 Matters for the Future
The reason people keep searching for who the president of the United States 2024 was is because the year felt like a decade. We had a sitting president step down from a race, a former president survive an assassination attempt, and a massive shift in how the country votes.
According to data from the Pew Research Center, Trump made huge gains with Hispanic voters and young men in 2024. That’s a shift that will probably affect politics for the next twenty years. It wasn't just a change in leadership; it was a change in the map.
Actionable Insights for History Buffs:
- Check the dates: If you're looking at a law passed in 2024, Biden signed it.
- The "Lame Duck" Period: Remember that from November 2024 to January 2025, the U.S. had two "centers of power"—the White House (Biden) and Mar-a-Lago (Trump).
- Primary Sources: If you want to see the vibe of the year, look at the debate transcripts from June 2024. That’s the "ground zero" for why the presidency changed hands.
To sum it all up: Joe Biden was the President in 2024. Donald Trump was the winner of the 2024 election. It was a year where the person in the office and the person in the news were rarely the same.