An election is coming in the US next year, and while the Democrats scrap for the top ticket, Donald Trump’s campaign to win another four years in the White House is already well underway.

The US president has broadcast a short animated film in which he appears as a flickering, lightly sketched figure in some of the memorable moments from his last successful presidential campaign – hugging the stars and stripes, having his hair ruffled by talkshow host Jimmy Fallon, dancing to Drake’s “Hotline Bling” on Saturday Night Live, and then being sworn-in as president.

While these pertinent visual reminders of how America came to elect Mr Trump play out, a sentimental surge of minor chords are struck on a piano, accompanied by a sweep of violins and imperial bass drum hits.

As the music reaches its saccharine crescendo, the quivering line-drawings give way to oscillating text which reads: “Donald Trump Wins”, and then “Keep America Great” – Mr Trump’s 2020 election campaign slogan.

The ad is made in the recognisable style of a Hollywood trailer, albeit one twisted from the bowels of the American dream, as it comes while the president launches “increasingly unhinged tirades,” as CNN describes them, while he fights an aggressive impeachment effort.

The impeachment bill, or in the president’s words, “The Greatest Witch Hunt in the history of our Country!”, centres on a whistleblower who alleges Mr Trump sought foreign interference in the 2020 American elections for his “own personal political interests”.

This includes the allegation Mr Trump asked officials in Ukraine to investigate Democrat Party candidate Joe Biden’s son in an apparent effort to find evidence of any wrongdoing or misdemeanors which could damage his potential opponent.

Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Show all 13 1 /13 Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Everyone Trump has fired or forced out John Bolton Trump claimed to have fired Bolton, his national security adviser, while Bolton claimed he offered to resign. An anonymous White House source that Bolton's departure came as a result of the national security adviser working too independently of the president AFP/Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Anthony Scaramucci Scaramucci lasted only six days in his role as Trump's communications director before being fired by John Kelly, the incoming chief of staff Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Rick Perry Rick Perry announced his resignation just as he became embroiled in the president's impeachment scandal. The White House said Mr Perry was asked by Donald Trump to work with Rudy GIuliani in regards to Ukraine. AP Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Rex Tillerson Tillerson, Trump's first secretary of state, was fired after a series of clashes with the president over policy Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out James Mattis Mattis served as secretary of defense from the beginning of Trump's administration until retiring on 1 January 2019. However, the president later claimed that he had "essentially fired" Mattis Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out James Comey Comey was fired as director of the FBI early in Trump's presidency after serving in the role for four years prior. His dismissal is widely thought to have been related to the Russia investigation Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Reince Priebus Priebus, Trump's first chief of staff, was forced out after six tumultuous months AFP/Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out David Shulkin Veterans affairs secretary Shulkin claims that he was fired, the White House claims that he resigned Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out John Kelly Kelly, Trump's second chief of staff, was forced out after 17 months in office. His departure was a confused affair though it is clear that Trump wanted Kelly out AFP/Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Michael Flynn Flynn lasted 24 days as Trump's national security adviser before being fired for lying to the FBI Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Lee Cisna Cisna served as director of citizen and immigration services between October 2017 and June 2019 before being asked to resign amid a major personnel change in the department of homeland security Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Madeline Westerhout Westerhout served as Trump's personal assistant after leaking private information about his family AFP/Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Mira Ricardel Ricardel was forced out of her role as Deputy National Security Advisor after first lady Melania Trump publicly called for her to be fired

In a whirlwind of fulmination and posturing, Mr Trump quoted a US pastor who said the president’s removal from office “will cause a Civil War like fracture in this nation”, and also called for Democrat representative and House Intelligence chairman Adam Schiff – the face of the impeachment inquiry – to be tried for treason.

But Mr Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, has admitted he asked senior Ukrainian officials to investigate widely debunked bribery allegations against Mr Biden.