Nguyễn Phú Trọng was born in Đông Hội Commune, Đông Anh district of Hanoi on April 14, 1944. His humble family background and early education laid the foundation for his future political career.

In 1968, Nguyễn Phú Trọng officially became a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam, marking the beginning of his long and influential political career.

Nguyễn Phú Trọng went to the Soviet Union in 1981 to study at the Academy of Sciences and received a Candidate of Sciences degree in history in 1983.

In 1995, Nguyen Phu Trong, Tran Dinh Nghiem, and Vu Hien co-authored 'Vietnam from 1986' which discusses Vietnam's development from 1986.

In 1998, Nguyễn Phú Trọng entered the party section devoted to political work, making him one of the most prominent Vietnamese political theoreticians.

In 2004, Nguyen Phu Trong published 'Viet Nam on The Path of Renewal' which discusses the renewal process in Vietnam.

In 2011, Nguyễn Phú Trọng was elected as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, a position he has held since then. He has been a key figure in Vietnamese politics and has played a significant role in the country's leadership.

In 2012, Nguyễn Phú Trọng urged the CPV to adopt Resolution No. 12, which focused on party building, self-criticism among party officials, and accountability for corruption and waste. This resolution also led to the establishment of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-corruption.

On July 6, 2015, Nguyễn Phú Trọng arrived in the United States for a visit that coincided with the 20th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam. During the visit, discussions with President Barack Obama covered topics such as human rights, security and defense, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

On January 27, 2016, Nguyễn Phú Trọng was re-elected as General Secretary by the 1st Plenary Session of the 12th Central Committee. This marked the beginning of his second term, during which he launched a significant anti-corruption campaign.

On October 23, 2018, Nguyễn Phú Trọng was elected as state president by the National Assembly with an overwhelming majority of 99.79% of the vote. This made him the third person to simultaneously head the party and state in Vietnam's history.

On April 14, 2019, Nguyễn Phú Trọng was reported to have been rushed to the hospital after visiting Kiên Giang, with rumors of a stroke. The Vietnamese government later confirmed that he was unwell but would soon return to work. He reappeared on May 14, 2019, to discuss the upcoming Party Congress.

Nguyễn Phú Trọng was re-elected as General Secretary for a third term by the 1st Plenary Session of the 13th Central Committee, making him the first leader since Lê Duẩn to serve more than two terms.

Nguyễn Phú Trọng attended a press conference and expressed his willingness to comply with his duty to serve as a party member despite his health concerns and desire to rest.

The National Assembly voted to relieve Nguyễn Phú Trọng's presidency with 91.25% of the vote, making him the de facto top leader in the country, serving as the General Secretary of the Communist Party.

Trọng visited China and met Chinese Communist Party (CCP) general secretary Xi Jinping, becoming the first foreign leader to meet Xi after he secured a third term in the 20th CCP National Congress. Both leaders released a joint statement, calling for cooperation in economic, political, defense and security areas.

Deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, visited Vietnam and met with Nguyễn Phú Trọng to discuss the strengthening of ties between Russia and Vietnam and the current international situation.

During a visit to Vietnam, U.S. president Joe Biden upgraded the relationship between the countries to that of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the highest awarded by Vietnam.