Jacquelyn Martin/AP US President Donald Trump arrives at an event in Washington on December 20. In pictures: Trump's second year

Jacquelyn Martin/AP US President Donald Trump arrives at an event in Washington on December 20.

During his second year in office, US President Donald Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, ushered Brett Kavanaugh through a bitter, divisive Supreme Court nomination process, and continued his fight for a wall along the southern US border.

White House press photographers often have a front-row seat to history, covering the President's every move. Their images help shape our memory and understanding of what happened.

"Covering politics has always felt to me like photographing a live theater production -- the actors and stage are usually set in a familiar way," Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst told CNN. "But even if you've seen a specific play many times, there is always the possibility that there will be something exciting or new."

Despite the well-orchestrated performances, the unexpected and surprising can always reveal itself. As Associated Press photographer Jacquelyn Martin said, "Formerly ho-hum departures and arrivals have turned into full-out press conferences, and the demand for imagery is intense."