Donald Trump’s decisive presidential victory this week ends the Republican leader’s tumultuous four-year impeachment. During his time away from the White House, Trump transformed from an embattled one-term president who faced internal Republicans rivals and a slew of lawsuits to a resurgent president-elect with a broad mandate from voters across the country.

Trump was at his most vulnerable following the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021; Meanwhile, even top Republicans were questioning his leadership and actions regarding the certification of the 2020 election.

However, these questions were short-lived.

The former president was facing major challengers: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Trump’s former U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley. But it quickly became clear that Trump’s hold on the Republican base was still dominant. Four criminal indictments, one of which resulted in a felony conviction, did little damage to his popularity and reinforced Trump’s own narrative that he was targeted by a vindictive Justice Department.

Trump began the general election by running against President Joe Biden, whom he described as old and out of touch. After their first and only debate against each other, a debate that showed Biden trying to score rhetorical points against Trump, the president stepped aside and allowed Vice President Kamala Harris to become the new Democratic nominee.

The period from Harris’ rise to Election Day saw two assassination attempts against the former president, a debate that led to a clash between Trump and Harris, and hundreds of millions spent by both campaigns to persuade a small group of persuadable voters in key states.

Trump’s victory represents a shakeup in American politics and allows him to enter the White House in January 2025 from a position of strength. Speaking at his election night party early Wednesday morning, Trump demanded “unprecedented and powerful authority.”