The Associated Press' top photos of the 2024 US election

WASHINGTON (AP) — It's a photograph that defined the 2024 campaign. Donald Trump, campaigning for a second term, raises a fist defiantly toward the sky, blood streaked across his face.

But the photo captures just one millisecond of a U.S. presidential campaign unlike any that came before it.

Trump faced charges and was convicted of a felony in New York City. A bullet from the rifle of a would-be assassin grazed his ear. He appeared days later at the Republican National Convention with a bandage covering his injury, an iconic image that further galvanized his supporters and became a symbol of his defiance.

The current president, Joe Biden, dropped out of the race weeks before the Democratic convention, bowing to unrelenting pressure from his party following a disastrous debate performance. He was replaced atop the ticket by Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman of color to be nominated for president by a major party.