The Guardian

When Donald Trump was re-elected in November 2024, it was the unthinkable for Guardian readers, crushing hopes that had been raised after Kamala Harris took over Joe Biden’s faltering campaign for the Democrats.

After working through the night on the election result, it was quickly and painfully clear that the next day’s paper needed to give space for reflection on what had just happened and what was to come. This extraordinary moment for the United States, and the rest of the world, was deserving of a special front page.

The striking image is a tight crop of Trump’s face, exposing the pores beneath the fake tan, with the president-elect’s mouth turned into a faint smile of self-satisfaction. The use of a close-up image aims to exude a sense of menace: confronting the reality of Trump 2.0.

The headline, American Dread, is a play on the American dream, changing one letter to convey a sense of foreboding rather than hope and possibility. The lettering plays with depth of field in the image, adding to the disquiet.

The resulting front page, which still gives space at the base to sell additional content, had a clear impact, boosting sales by several thousands.

Judges’ comments: “The best Trump cover among the many… A bold and daring design choice with a striking close-up.”