In less than six months, the race for the White House has experienced a succession of twists and turns.
A campaign more unpredictable than ever. In the United States, the presidential election often has a final twist in the last weeks before the vote, the famous “october surprise”. In 2024, the twists and turns came without waiting for the fall. In six months, Americans have seen a series of events that have reshuffled the cards of the presidential election. Franceinfo looks back on six of these notable moments.
1 On May 30, Donald Trump is criminally convicted
The presidential campaign was already well underway when the ex-president found himself in court. Donald Trump is being prosecuted for tax fraud, after having concealed a payment to buy the silence of a pornographic actress with whom he allegedly had an extramarital affair. At the end of four weeks of trial, Thursday, May 30, the jury found him guilty of 34 counts in the Stormy Daniels affair.
Never before has an American president been tried criminally, let alone convicted. If Donald Trump announces that he will appeal, this decision casts doubt on the rest of the campaign. Legally, nothing prevents the Republican from running for the White House, but he faces up to four years in prison. The sentence, handed down by Judge Juan Merchan, is initially scheduled to be made public July 11, four days before the start of the Republican Party national convention. The magistrate finally postponed it until November 26, after the presidential election, due to a multitude of appeals filed by the defense.
2 On June 27, Joe Biden misses his debate
It was surely the evening that changed the course of the Democrats' campaign. Thursday June 27, Joe Biden faces Donald Trump, in what must be the first debate between the two presidential candidates. Traditionally, three televised duels are organized between September and October. But the outgoing president agreed to meet his Republican opponent much earlier. An unprecedented timing, with also unprecedented consequences.
Joe Biden misses the exercise. After months of concern and criticism aroused by his advanced age – at 81, he is the oldest serving president in the history of the United States – the Democrat continues to stumble over words. With a hoarse voice, he gets lost in long tirades that are difficult to untangle. Worse: he congratulates himself to have “defeated” Medicare, the federal health insurance system yet defended by his camp, in a slip of the tongue very quickly taken up by the Republicans and the media. Faced with a Donald Trump as pugnacious as usual, Joe Biden lacks answers and fails to correct his opponent's approximations and false information.
Overprepared, cold, jetlagged after a round trip to Europe… The White House finds all kinds of excuses for the president's poor performance. But the damage is done. Joe Biden is forced to recognize that he “no longer speaks as well as before” et “no longer debates as well as before”.
3 On July 13, a man shot Donald Trump
The most striking image of this campaign will undoubtedly remain that of Donald Trump with his fist raised, a trickle of blood on his face, surrounded by his bodyguards. It was taken on Saturday July 13, moments after a shooter opened fire on the ex-president during a meeting in Butler (Pennsylvania). While the Republican criticizes the Democrats' policy on immigration, four shots ring out. Donald Trump puts his hand to his right ear, crouches behind his lectern. The Secret Service agents, responsible for his protection, rush to get him off the stage, while panic spreads among the audience.
The shooter, a 20-year-old from the neighboring town of Bethel Parkwas shot dead by the Secret Service a few minutes later, on the roof from where he carried out his attack. Thomas Matthew Crooks killed a member of the public, a firefighter and father, and seriously injured two others.
Donald Trump is shot in the ear. “If I hadn't moved my head at that very last moment, the assassin's bullet would have hit its target perfectly, and I wouldn't be here today. evening”he said five days later, during the Republican convention. Since July 13, two other men have been arrested for other alleged assassination attempts against Donald Trump, without having opened fire, in Florida and California.
4 On July 21, Joe Biden withdraws from the race
The Americans barely have time to catch their breath when a new event shakes up the campaign. Joe Biden announced on Sunday July 21, on the social network X, that he was withdrawing his candidacy for the presidential election. Since his failed debate, the Democrat has been under pressure from his own camp, which no longer believes in his chances of beating Donald Trump. First internally, then publicly, several party officials called on him to give up running for a second term.
“BAlthough my intention was to run again, I believe it is in the best interests of my party and the country for me to step down and focus solely on serving as President until the end of this term. my mandate”wrote Joe Biden to the Americans, four months before the election. In the process, he announced on the social network X that he wanted to be replaced by his vice-president, Kamala Harris.
In a country where the presidential campaign often begins two years before the election, Democrats have little time to get back on track. There is only one month left before the national convention, where they must officially nominate their candidate for the White House. Kamala Harris is younger than Joe Biden, already experienced in the highest offices of state… In less than 24 hours, the highest Democratic officials give her their support, making Joe Biden's number 2 the favorite for him succeed.
5 In the summer, the campaign accelerates with the Republican and Democratic conventions
As tradition dictates, the summer of 2024 is marked by the Republican and Democratic conventions, during which the candidates of each party are officially invested. From July 15 to 19, conservatives are meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to confirm what we have already known for several months: as in 2016 and 2020, Donald Trump will represent them in the presidential election.
Without political issues, the convention is above all an opportunity for the entire party to show its allegiance to the billionaire. The only real announcement of the convention concerns the name of his running mate. JD Vance, Donald Trump's former primary opponent, will be a vice-presidential candidate.
From August 19 to 22, it is the Democrats' turn to choose the person who will replace Joe Biden on the presidential ticket. Here again, no surprise: for several weeks, the only name circulating has been that of Kamala Harris. “She is strong, she is experienced and has integrity. I promise you that I will be the biggest campaigner in her campaign”declared Joe Biden, passing the torch with emotion, in front of 50,000 supporters gathered in Chicago (Illinois).
“I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations. A president who leads and listens”promises Kamala Harris. The Democrat had already announced, two weeks earlier, that she had chosen Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota, known for his commitment to abortion rights and the fight against global warming, as her running mate.
6 On September 10, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump debate on CNN
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump face each other for the first time, and the last, on the CNN set, Tuesday September 10. For an hour and a half, the two candidates debate their respective projects for America. But above all, the exchange is an opportunity for everyone to multiply attacks against their opponent. “You’re going to hear a lot of lies today.” declares the Democratic vice-president, who accuses the billionaire of wanting “sign a ban on national abortion” and try to “divide the American people.”
Opposite, Donald Trump resumes his anti-immigration speech, going so far as to utter false information live on television. “They eat people's pets.”says the former president about the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio. The Republican also accuses the Democrats of being responsible for the attack which targeted him in July: “They said I was a threat to democracy. (…) Because of what they said about me, I was almost assassinated.”
A few days later, challenged by Kamala Harris to debate with her again, Donald Trump refused. “It is too late to organize a new debate, the vote has already started”, he declared on Saturday, September 21, in reference to early voting which began in several states. The next face-to-face between the Democratic vice-president and the former Republican president will take place at the polls.
