The following is a timeline of the first presidency of Donald Trump during the fourth and last quarter of 2020 from October 1 to December 31, 2020 and the first 20 days of 2021 from January 1 to 20, 2021, when Trump left office and was succeeded by Joe Biden. For a complete itinerary of his travels, see List of presidential trips made by Donald Trump (2020–21). To navigate quarters, see timeline of the Donald Trump presidencies.
Timeline Overview
President Trump tested positive for COVID-19 and treated at Bethesda Naval Hospital, campaigned for the ongoing presidential election, participated in the final presidential debate, lost the presidential election to Joe Biden but refused to concede, attempted to overturn the election results, urged his supporters to march to the Capitol resulting in multiple deaths during the attack and interrupting the electoral vote count, suspended from social media, faced his second impeachment for incitement of insurrection but later acquitted, tackling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by extending the nationwide Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines throughout the month of October.
October 2020
Date Events Photos/videos Thursday, October 1Hope Hicks, senior counselor to President Trump, tests positive for COVID-19. She traveled with President Trump to the debate in Cleveland on September 29 and to a rally in Minnesota on September 30. Although some White House officials were aware of her diagnosis in the morning, "Trump still took a trip to New Jersey for a fundraiser, and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany still held a news briefing at the White House." Friday, October 2President Trump tweets that both he and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19 and would immediately quarantine. Later that day, President Trump boarded a helicopter to Bethesda Naval Hospital for treatment. President Trump's campaign manager Bill Stepien, RNC chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel, and Senior Senator Mike Lee of Utah test positive for COVID-19. Saturday, October 3 Nick Luna, one of President Trump's closest personal attendants in the White House, tests positive for COVID-19. Senators Thom Tillis, Mike Lee and Ron Johnson all test positive for COVID-19. As a result, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell halts all Senate floor action for two weeks. Sunday, October 4 After President Trump rides in a motorcade around Walter Reed Medical Center, a physician at the hospital says that every Secret Service agent inside the vehicle will have to quarantine for 14 days. Monday, October 5 White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany announces she has COVID-19 and will quarantine. Two of her deputies also test positive. President Trump is discharged from the hospital and returns to the White House in the evening. Tuesday, October 6 Stephen Miller, senior political advisor to the president, tests positive for COVID-19. Wednesday, October 7 Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris participate in the only vice presidential debate at University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. The debate was moderated by Susan Page of USA Today. Thursday, October 8 President Trump, having suddenly announced two days ago that he was ending negotiations with lawmakers regarding a new economic stimulus package, now says the talks are back on. Friday, October 9 The Commission on Presidential Debates cancels the October 15 scheduled debate between President Trump and Joe Biden. President Trump had refused to participate virtually. The third and final debate remains scheduled for October 22. Saturday, October 10 President Trump holds a rally on the South Lawn of the White House. Attendees' travel and lodging was paid for by Candace Owens' group BLEXIT, which encourages Black Americans to leave the Democratic Party. Sunday, October 11 Monday, October 12 President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at a campaign rally in Sanford, Florida. Tuesday, October 13 President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at a campaign rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Wednesday, October 14 President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at a campaign rally in Des Moines, Iowa. Thursday, October 15 President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at a campaign rally in Greenville, North Carolina. President Trump participates in a town-hall meeting style event with undecided Florida voters instead of a planned second presidential debate, which was cancelled after Trump refused to participate in a virtual event. Friday, October 16 The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) rejects California's request for federal aid for the ongoing forest fires. A FEMA spokesperson remarked that the damage was "...not of such severity and magnitude to exceed the combined capabilities of the state, affected local governments, voluntary agencies and other responding federal agencies." President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at two campaign rallies: Ocala, Florida, and Macon, Georgia. Saturday, October 17 President Trump approves a federal disaster declaration for California's wildfires after having rejected the request the previous day. President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at two campaign rallies: Muskegon, Michigan, and Janesville, Wisconsin. Sunday, October 18 President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at a campaign rally in Carson City, Nevada. Monday, October 19 President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at two campaign rallies in Arizona: Prescott and Tucson. Tuesday, October 20 President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at a campaign rally in Erie, Pennsylvania. Wednesday, October 21 President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at a campaign rally in Gastonia, North Carolina. Thursday, October 22 President Trump and Democratic Party nominee former Vice President Joe Biden participate in the final presidential debate at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. The debate was moderated by Kristen Welker of NBC. Friday, October 23 The Trump Administration brokers a peace agreement between Sudan and Israel, the third agreement between Israel and an Arab-Muslim nation in less than three months. President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at two campaign rallies in Florida: The Villages and Pensacola. Saturday, October 24 President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at three campaign rallies: Lumberton, North Carolina; Circleville, Ohio; and Waukesha, Wisconsin. Sunday, October 25 CBS aired President Trump and Vice President Pence's interview for its news show 60 Minutes which was filmed earlier in the week. President Trump was perturbed at host Lesley Stahl asking "hard questions" and complained that former Vice President Biden had received "softball questions". Trump then walked off the set. President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at a campaign rally in Manchester, New Hampshire. President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump participate in the White House Halloween event. Monday, October 26 President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at three campaign rallies in Pennsylvania: Allentown; Lititz; and Martinsburg. The Senate confirms Amy Coney Barrett as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in a vote of 52–48. President Trump attends the swearing in of Amy Coney Barrett as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court by Justice Clarence Thomas on the South Lawn of the White House. Tuesday, October 27 Amy Coney Barrett takes the final judicial oath with Chief Justice John Roberts at the Supreme Court of the United States thereby officially starting her tenure as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at three campaign rallies: Lansing, Michigan; West Salem, Wisconsin; and Omaha, Nebraska. Wednesday, October 28 President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at two campaign rallies in Arizona: Bullhead City and Goodyear. Thursday, October 29 President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at a campaign rally in Tampa, Florida. Friday, October 30 President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at three campaign rallies: Waterford Township, Michigan; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and Rochester, Minnesota. Saturday, October 31 President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at four campaign rallies in Pennsylvania: Newtown; Reading; Butler; and Montoursville.
November 2020
Date Events Photos/videos Sunday, November 1 President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at five campaign rallies: Washington Township, Michigan; Dubuque, Iowa; Hickory, North Carolina; Rome, Georgia; and Opa-locka, Florida. Monday, November 2 President Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at five campaign rallies: Fayetteville, North Carolina; Scranton, Pennsylvania; Traverse City, Michigan; Kenosha, Wisconsin; and Grand Rapids, Michigan. Tuesday, November 3 The 2020 United States presidential election takes place. A projected winner of the election is not declared on election night. The Democratic Party retains their majority in the House of Representatives while the Republican Party is projected to retain their majority in the Senate. Wednesday, November 4 The interim results show President Trump carries 23 states and leads 213 electoral votes compared to Democratic Party nominee former Vice President Joe Biden, who carries 19 states and leads 227 electoral votes. A projected winner of the election is still yet to be declared with eight remaining states are still being counted. These states are Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, and Maine's 2nd congressional district. Despite the lack of a clear projected winner, President Trump prematurely declares victory at approximately 2:00 a.m., falsely claiming concerns about voter fraud and mail-in ballots. President Trump states his intention to request the Supreme Court to prevent any more ballots from being counted and continues on to claim, "Frankly, we already won this election."Note: His speech was at 2 am which would have been the early hours of November 4. In the evening, Biden is projected to win Michigan (16 electoral votes) and Wisconsin (10 electoral votes), putting the projected total to 253 electoral votes compared to President Trump at 214 electoral votes. However, a projected winner of the election is still yet to be declared. Thursday, November 5 The interim results show President Trump carries 23 states and leads 214 electoral votes compared to Biden, who carries 21 states and leads 253 electoral votes. A projected winner of the election is still yet to be declared with six remaining states are still being counted. These states are Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. President Trump holds a press conference in the White House. His opening statement is, "If you count the legal votes I easily win. If you count the illegal votes, they can try to steal the election from us." He continued, displaying misinterpretation of the Constitution, the role of the Supreme Court and the rule of law regarding the counting of votes. He did not take questions. Friday, November 6 Biden overtakes President Trump's leads in Georgia and Pennsylvania, further jeopardizing the president's re-election chances. A projected winner of the election is still yet to be declared. President Trump joins Biden as the second presidential candidate to reach 70 million votes in a United States presidential election and reaches second place in highest number of votes in any election, with Biden taking first place, having earned more than 80 million votes. Saturday, November 7 Democratic Party nominee former Vice President Joe Biden becomes president-elect after he had secured the projected total to 273 electoral votes by winning Pennsylvania (20 electoral votes), which he had reached over the required electoral votes of 270 to clinch victory. However, President Trump refuses to concede defeat and continues to challenge the results.