The Biggest News Stories Of 2025

Source: Douglas Rissing / Getty

Updated Aug. 11, 2025, 9:45 A.M.

The Trump administration deployed roughly 450 federal law enforcement officers across Washington, D.C., on Sunday night, drawing personnel from multiple federal agencies. The move follows President Trump’s recent pledge on social media to “make our Capital safer and more beautiful than it ever was before.”

In his post, Trump ordered that homeless individuals “move out, immediately,” adding that they would be offered accommodations “far from the Capital.” He also warned that “criminals” would be jailed. “It’s all going to happen very fast, just like the Border,” the president wrote.

The White House said last week that federal law enforcement presence would increase in the District following the reported assault of a former Department of Government Efficiency staff member. Trump has also threatened a federal takeover of city operations.

Local police data shows violent crime in D.C. has been declining for 18 months after a spike in 2023. As of Aug. 11, robberies are down 28% and overall violent crime is down 26% compared to the same period last year. The Justice Department reported that in 2024, the city recorded its lowest violent crime rate in more than three decades.

In March, Trump signed an executive order creating the “D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force,” arguing that the city “has become one of the most dangerous” in the world. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser disputed that characterization on MSNBC Sunday, emphasizing that violent crime is down and noting that the city routinely coordinates with federal agencies.

While Trump later described Bowser as “a good person who has tried,” he criticized the city’s cleanliness and crime trends, vowing to restore the capital to what he called “the most beautiful Capital in the World” before “tents, squalor, filth, and crime.”

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From politics to weather, keep scrolling for some of the major news stories we have witnessed in 2025.

1. Fact-checking Trump's D.C. crime claims ahead of news conference

2. OpenAI releases ChatGPT-5 to the public

3. 5 soldiers shot in Fort Stewart military base incident, officials say

4. Student loan interest resumes for millions enrolled in SAVE repayment plan

5. Trump says he's ordered the firing of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner

6. Trump raising tariffs on Canadian imports to 35%

7. Magnitude updated to 8.7 for earthquake off Russian coast

8. Ghislaine Maxwell offers to testify before Congress

9. Trump says he stopped talking to Epstein after he "stole people that work for me"

10. New details on NYC shooting rampage suspect

11. NYPD officer among 4 dead after deadly NYC shooting rampage, officials confirm

12. Trump, EU announce trade deal as Aug. 1 tariff deadline looms

13. Passengers react after Southwest flight makes aggressive maneuver to avoid collision

14. Janitor accused of helping New Orleans inmates escape pleads not guilty

15. Judge orders Kilmar Abrego Garcia's release, 2nd judge limits ICE from immediately detaining him

16. Bryan Kohberger sentenced to life in prison for murders of Idaho students

17. Trump tries to shift focus from Epstein files to Obama "treason" claims

18. Ex-officer convicted in Breonna Taylor case sentenced to 33 months in prison

19. White House shuts down LGBTQ+ youth suicide and crisis hotline

20. White House expects more trade deals as Aug. 1 deadline approaches

21. Dozens of people killed in Gaza while trying to seek aid, officials say

22. What to know about bill that would cut $9.4 billion in funds for public broadcasting, aid programs

23. Everything we know about how Trump's "big, beautiful bill" bolsters ICE

24. TSA dropping shoe-removal requirement at U.S. airports

25. Camp Mystic confirms 27 children and counselors were killed in Texas flash floods

26. Skydiving plane crashes in New Jersey, several hospitalized

27. Hakeem Jeffries wraps record-breaking House floor speech before Trump budget bill vote

28. Supreme Court takes up case on bans for transgender athletes in girls and women's sports

29. Trump budget bill stalls in House

30. Sean "Diddy" Combs denied bail, will remain detained before October sentencing

31. Trump announces U.S. trade deal with Vietnam

32. Trump says Israel has agreed to Gaza ceasefire conditions, here's what we know

33. Split verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking and racketeering trial

34. Senate passes Trump budget bill after Vance casts tie-breaking vote

35. Trump administration claims Harvard violated civil rights of Jewish and Israeli students

36. Senate puts taxes on solar and wind energy projects in Trump budget bill

37. Trump says he's not planning to extend July 9 global tariff deadline

38. Everything we know about the Senate "vote-a-rama" on Trump's "big, beautiful bill"

39. White House reacts to resuming trade talks with Canada

40. Breaking down the "vote-a-rama" on proposed amendments for Trump's budget bill

41. President Trump declares victory after Supreme Court surrenders some of judicial branch's own power

42. Supreme Court releases wave of major decisions, paving the way for Trump's agenda

43. Senate set to vote on Trump budget bill amendments as fears of Medicaid cuts grow

44. What Trump's looming global tariff deadline could mean for Americans

45. Trump aggressively pushes back against early intel report on U.S. damage to Iranian nuclear sites

46. Supreme Court allows Trump administration to deport people to third countries for now

47. Stocks rise after Iran's retaliatory strikes on U.S. base in Qatar

48. Iran says it launched retaliatory strikes on U.S. bases in the Middle East

49. Why the State Department is warning U.S. citizens around the world

50. New images may show damage by Trump's strikes on Iran's nuclear sites

51. Oklahoma City Thunder beat Pacers 103-91 to win franchise's first title since Seattle move

52. Inside the complex U.S. mission in Iran dubbed "Operation Midnight Hammer"

53. U.S. bombs 3 Iranian nuclear targets, Trump announces

55. SpaceX Starship upper stage blows up

56. Karen Read emerges from courthouse to cheers, speaks after acquittal

57. FEMA cuts are overwhelmingly impacting areas that Trump won

58. Oil prices soar as Israel-Iran conflict intensifies

59. Lawmakers move to limit Trump's war powers as Middle East conflict escalates

60. Everything we know about Israel, Iran and where Trump stands on the conflict

61. Senate Republicans propose Medicaid changes in Trump budget bill

62. Trump administration reverses order pausing ICE raids at farms and hotels, report says

63. Senate Republicans release new details on Trump budget bill

64. Top Bukele aides blocked U.S. extraditions of MS-13 leaders, ProPublica reports

65. Trump orders ICE to expand deportations in Democratic-run cities

66. Gov. Tim Walz, other officials speak after arrest in shootings of Minnesota lawmakers

67. "No Kings" demonstrators protest President Trump during Army parade

68. Oil prices spike as Israel and Iran target each other

69. Trump administration revokes legal status from over 500,000 migrants

70. Trump ending Biden-era parole program for migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela

71. U.S. on high alert amid possible Israeli operation against Iran

72. More FEMA officials step down as hurricane season gets underway

73. Air India plane's tail lands on hospital after deadly crash

74. RFK Jr. removes all 17 members of CDC vaccine panel

75. Stock markets hold steady as U.S-China trade talks continue

76. Anti-ICE protest erupts near DOJ building in D.C. over union leader's detention

77. Barbara becomes first hurricane of 2025 season to form in Pacific Ocean

78. Immigration raids spark outrage in Los Angeles

79. Trump distances himself from Musk, his companies

80. Kilmar Abrego Garcia brought back to U.S. to face criminal charges

81. Big companies pull back on Pride Month sponsorships, impacting celebrations

82. Trump budget bill would leave almost 11 million without health insurance, federal agency says

83. Trump Reinstates Travel Ban Targeting Over a Dozen Nations

84. Trump's tariffs on steel, aluminum officially double

85. Musk torches Trump budget bill, calls it "a disgusting abomination"

86. Meta signs 20-year nuclear power deal to meet AI demands

87. Boulder mall attack suspect faces federal hate crimes charge

88. Sweeping Trump tariffs struck down by federal court

89. Elon Musk bids farewell to DOGE

90. Trump to pardon Chrisleys, reality TV stars convicted of fraud, tax evasion

91. Trump seeks to end all federal contracts with Harvard

92. Trump weighs redistributing Harvard money to trade schools

93. Trump bans Harvard from enrolling international students, Noem calls it a warning to other schools

94. Trump administration looks to end protections for migrant children in U.S. custody

95. Budget bill includes $1,000 for newborns that would be deposited in "Trump Accounts"

96. Small plane crashes into San Diego neighborhood

97. "Tush Push" survives potential NFL ban

98. FDA makes controversial changes to COVID-19 vaccine framework

99. NTSB investigating deadly Brooklyn Bridge crash

100. Louisiana governor says he's lost faith in sheriff's office after New Orleans jailbreak

101. Joe Biden Diagnosed with Aggressive Prostate Cancer

102. President Trump announces new drug pricing plan

103. Trump makes trade deal with China

104. Cardinal Robert Prevost of U.S. announced as new pope, takes name Leo XIV

105. Don't have a Real ID? Here's what you need to prepare for before flying

106. Millions of Americans brace for federal student loan collections to resume

107. DHS to pay immigrants in US illegally $1K to self deport

108. Skype is shutting down after launching in 2003

109. Trump’s First 100 Days: A Climate and Governance Crisis

110. Elon Musk to step back from work in Trump administration

111. Trump considers 'baby bonus' to boost birth rate

112. Trump administration will resume collections on defaulted student loans

113. Trump says he'll reduce tariffs against China "substantially"

114. Pope Francis dies at age 88

115. Judge holds emergency hearing over Trump's Alien Enemies Act usage for El Salvador deportations

116. Sen. Van Hollen says Kilmar Abrego Garcia was moved from CECOT prison, contradicting DOJ

117. Active Shooter Reported on FSU Campus in Tallahassee; Suspect in Custody, Multiple People Hospitalized

118. Blue Origin's first all-female flight launches with Gayle King

119. U.S. stock futures rise despite confusion over Trump tariff exemption for electronics

120. Six Killed in Hudson River Helicopter Crash Near Jersey City

121. Trump Raises China Tariffs to 125%, Announces 90-Day Pause for Other Nations

122. "Hands off!" rallies across U.S. protest Trump administration policies

123. Stock market losses intensify after China matches Trump tariffs

124. Trump delays TikTok ban again

125. Global stock markets tumble after Trump's tariffs news

126. Trump announces 10% baseline tariff on all countries

127. Trump's tariffs will go into effect immediately after announcement, White House says

128. Watch: Cory Booker breaks record for longest Senate floor speech with 24-hour Trump protest

129. White House confirms recent firings of 50 U.S. attorneys and deputies

130. Trump says he's considering ways to serve a third term as president

131. More than 1,000 dead in severe earthquake

132. Trump moves to revoke collective bargaining rights for most federal workers

133. TikTok faces U.S. ban deadline: What happens after April 5?

134. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will cut thousands of jobs

135. FBI creates task force to investigate Tesla threats

136. DOJ defends deportations to El Salvador, Elon Musk meets with Pentagon officials

137. Could DoorDash's Klarna payment plan move signal recession fears?

138. Boston Celtics sold to group led by William Chisholm, Sixth Street for $6.1B

139. Trump to sign executive order to start dismantling Department of Education

140. Judge blocks Trump order banning transgender people from military service

141. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore return after 286 days in space

142. Trump deportations challenged in court

143. Wildfires, tornadoes sparked by storm system that killed at least 40 across U.S.

144. Trump considers four bids to buy TikTok as deadline for deal looms

145. Johns Hopkins University says it's laying off 2,200 due to USAID funding cuts

146. Senate passes short-term funding bill, averting a government shutdown

147. American Airlines passenger plane erupting in flames

148. USDA cuts funding for school, food bank programs

149. "Stranded" astronauts' return delayed again after SpaceX mission scrubbed

151. Trump administration to roll back Biden-era environmental protections

152. Measles on the rise in U.S. with infections reported in 15 states

153. Department of Education slashing nearly 50% of workforce

154. Inflation rises by 2.8% in February

155. 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports to U.S. take effect

156. 5 years since WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic

157. Southwest Airlines To Start Charging For Checked Bags

158. U.S. stocks plunge as Americans worry about a recession

159. DC removes Black Lives Matter plaza

160. X Down, Elon Musk says its a massive cyberattack

161. The government tries to avoid a shutdown

162. Stocks take another tumble after Trump's weekend comments on inflation

163. South Carolina man executed via firing squad, first in 15 years

164. New Trump executive orders expected as he threatens reciprocal tariffs on Canada

165. Experts warn of lasting immune effects as measles outbreak spreads

166. President Trump pauses Mexico and Canada tariffs until April 2

167. Trump expected to issue executive order to eliminate Education Department

168. Trump addresses Congress

169. Trump's tariffs on Mexico, Canada take effect

170. Trump signs executive order making English the official language of the US

171. Heated Trump-Zelenskyy meeting in Oval Office

172. Iowa becomes first state to remove civil rights protections for transgender people

173. 3 injured in flight from Maryland after plane crashes in Vermont

174. Egg prices will rise more than 40% this year: USDA

175. DoorDash to pay $16.75 million to settle claims that it unfairly used customer tips to subsidize delivery worker wages

176. MSNBC cancels Joy Reid's show

177. The Associated Press sues Trump White House officials

178. Federal employees suing Elon Musk over tasks email

179. Dan Bongino named FBI deputy director

180. Luigi Mangione makes first court appearance of 2025

181. Pope Francis remains in critical condition with early kidney failure, Vatican says

182. Trump declares Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations

183. Delta offers $30,000 to passengers who survived Toronto plane crash

184. Two people dead after mid-air plane crash at southern Arizona airport

185. Trump administration gives schools a deadline to end DEI programs or risk losing federal money

186. Delta plane crash landed and flipped at Toronto airport caught on camera

187. Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.) is makes a push to gain access to an IRS system

188. 15,000 IRS workers facing potential layoffs in the middle of tax season

189. Two killed in small plane crash in Atlanta

190. Army bans transgender people from enlisting, halts gender transition procedures

191. Tony Buzbee drops civil lawsuit alleging rape against Jay-Z and Sean 'Diddy' Combs

192. Andrew Lester enters guilty plea to lesser charge in shooting of Ralph Yarl

193. TikTok Is Back on U.S. App Stores—For Now

194. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed as HHS secretary in 52-48 vote

195. Navy investigating fighter jet crash off San Diego

196. Private Jet Collides At Arizona Airport

197. 'Gulf Of America' Arrives on Google Maps

198. The Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl

199. Judge blocks DOGE from accessing Treasury data after lawsuit against Trump administration

200. Trump appoints controversial NOAA head

201. Judge temporarily blocks 2,200 USAID workers from being put on leave

202. Trump says he's revoking Biden's security clearance

203. Shoppers report paying fees to receive their international packages

204. Small plane crashes in Alaska, all 10 dead

205. President Trump signs executive order banning transgender athletes in sports

206. Rep. Al Green is filing new impeachment articles against Trump

207. USPS now says it will accept international mail from China and Hong Kong

208. President Trump considering dismantling Department of Education

209. Trump imposes Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China; Canada retaliates

210. Plane crashes in Northeast Philadelphia neighborhood

211. American Airlines flight collides with helicopter in Washington, D.C.

212. White House rescinds federal aid freeze

213. Federal judge blocks Trump administration freeze on federal grants

214. White House orders freeze on all federal financial assistance

215. Target Scales Back Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts

216. Judge blocks Donald Trump's plan to end US birthright citizenship

217. Trump administration directs all federal DEI staff be put on leave

218. Trump pardons Capitol rioter and signs a series of executive actions

219. Biden pardons family members minutes before Trump sworn in

220. Donald Trump Is Sworn in as 47th U.S. President

221. Biden issues preemptive pardons for Milley, Fauci and Jan. 6 committee members

222. TikTok begins restoring after Trump comments less than 24 hours after going dark in U.S.

223. TikTok goes dark as U.S. ban takes effect

224. Supreme Court upholds TikTok ban

225. President Joe Biden's farewell address to the nation warns of an oligarchy

226. Israel & Hamas agree to ceasefire deal

227. Texas man charged with stalking Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark

228. Supreme Court hears arguments on TikTok ban

229. Judge Juan Merchan has sentenced Donald Trump to unconditional discharge in hush money cas

230. Former President Jimmy Carter honored in Washington, D.C.

231. Fast-moving Pacific Palisades fire grows to more than 2,900 acres

232. Trump says he plans to change Gulf of Mexico's name to "Gulf of America"

234. Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau announces resignation

235. Apple to pay $95M to settle lawsuit accusing Siri of eavesdropping

236. Georgia judges takes his own life in courtroom

237. 10 hurt in shooting in Queens, NY

238. 10 dead, dozens injured in New Orleans truck 'terrorist attack'