2025 Events

Terrorist Attack in New Orleans

On New Year’s Day, a man inspired by ISIS drove a Ford F-150 pickup into pedestrians on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing 14 people and injuring 57.

Palisades and Eaton Fires Blaze

A fire that was started on January 7 became fueled by extreme winds and spread to Los Angeles. The fires destroyed more than 16,000 structures, burned tens of thousands of acres in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena and killed 29 people, raising concerns about climate change.

TikTok Weathers Ban

The Supreme Court upheld a law requiring Chinese-owned tech company ByteDance to sell TikTok or have the popular social media app banned by January 19th. Apple and Google removed temporarily removed it from app stores when the law went into effect, but Trump intervened to grant multiple extensions, indefinitely postponing the ban and keeping Americans scrolling as members of the tech giant’s 1.59 billion global users.

Donald Trump Inaugurated for Second Term

President Donald Trump begins his second term in January, becoming only the second U.S. president in history to win two nonconsecutive terms. With J.D. Vance as vice president, the second Trump administration launches sweeping policy changes on the size of the government to immigration, trade and more.

DOGE Dismantles Government Agencies

Trump created the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, via executive order. Its de facto leader, tech billionaire Elon Musk, called it a “chainsaw for bureaucracy.” By March, DOGE had fired 260,000 federal workers. High-profile cuts included the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and slashes across the Department of Education and National Institutes of Health, among others.

Mid-Air Collision Over the Potomac An American Airlines regional jet collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on January 29 over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. as it approached Reagan National Airport. All passengers on both aircraft were killed. 

Immigration Crackdown

The Trump administration intensified its crackdown on illegal immigration, sending ICE agents to arrest individuals at work, home and schools. To house detainees, the administration created detainment centers like Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz.” ICE also announced plans to send migrants to countries other than their own via third-country deportations. Cellphone videos of agents forcing people into unmarked cars went viral over social media.

Trump Tariffs

In April, the Trump administration implemented a blanket 10 percent tariff on imports, with higher duties for countries he deemed “worst offenders.” The hardest-hit was China, which faced a 104 percent levy. China responded with strict export controls on rare-earth minerals.

Beyoncé Makes Music History

On February 2, Beyoncé extended her record as the most-awarded artist in Grammy history, bringing home her first-ever album of the year award for “Cowboy Carter.” She also became the first Black woman to win country album of the year.

US Air Strikes in Yemen

In March, U.S. air strikes on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen killed dozens and wounded over 100. President Donald Trump targeted Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in retaliation for maritime attacks on American shipping interests in and around the Red Sea. Controversy erupted when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth discussed plans for the attack in a group chat on the private messaging app Signal. A cease-fire agreement was reached in May.

Weight-Loss Drugs Recognized

Five scientists who developed the weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy were awarded the $3 million U.S. Breakthrough Prize on April 7. The drugs, originally created to treat diabetes, were used by nearly 12 percent of Americans.

Transition at the Vatican

Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost became the first American pope on May 8. He chose the papal name Leo XIV.

War in Gaza: Protests, Hostage Releases, Cease-Fire

The war in Gaza, triggered by an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 by the terrorist group Hamas, fueled a wave of pro-Palestinian demonstrations around the world. Universities became flashpoints in a renewed debate on free speech. A Columbia University protest in May led to arrests, expulsions and revoked degrees, intensifying debates about antisemitism, divestment and academic freedom. A temporary cease-fire announced January 15 led to the release of 33 living hostages and the bodies of several deceased hostages by Hamas in exchange for more than 1,700 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. In September, the death toll in the war reached 65,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. That month, a United Nations commission concluded that Israel had committed acts of genocide as defined by international law against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, a claim that Israel and others strongly rejected. By October, months of pressure culminated in a U.S.-brokered cease-fire and peace plan, although implementation remained shaky through year's end with both sides citing violations.

Russia-Ukraine War

The year 2025 saw the highest civilian casualties since the Russia-Ukraine war broke out in 2022. Russia made incremental territorial gains throughout the year, especially around Pokrovsk, Hulyaipole and in the Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced discussions on a peace settlement with Western partners, while the United States temporarily halted some weapon shipments, citing stockpile concerns.

National Guard Deployed in Cities

Starting in June, Trump deployed the National Guard to Democratic-led cities—including Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Portland and Memphis—citing a need to deter violent crime and protect federal immigration facilities. In November, two members of the National Guard were shot in Washington, D.C. by an Afghan national. 

Minnesota Legislators Shot

On June 14, two Minnesota lawmakers were shot at their homes in an act of politically motivated violence. State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed at their home in Brooklyn Park, and State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were injured at their Champlin residence.

An Interstellar Visitor

The ATLAS survey telescope in Chile discovered interstellar comet 3I/Atlas based on observations and reported the finding in July. The find sparked theories of extraterrestrial life. It’s only the third known object from outside our solar system to be observed from Earth.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Become Engaged

In August, Taylor Swift, the newly-crowned best-selling female musical artist of all time, got engaged to Super Bowl champion tight end Travis Kelce. The two announced their engagement on Instagram, writing: “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”

AI Arms Race

The arms race for AI infrastructure intensified in 2025. OpenAI released GPT-5 in August. In November, Google responded with the launch of Gemini 3, prompting a “code red” within OpenAI, which released GPT-5.2 in December.The one-upmanship mirrored the geopolitical competition for AI dominance. Following China’s launch of DeepSeek R1, the Trump administration announced a $500 billion “Stargate” project with OpenAI, SoftBank and Oracle in a bid to keep the United States at the forefront.

Fictional K-Pop Group Goes to No. 1

In September, the fictional K-pop group dominated real music charts when “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the first time a K-pop girl group, real or fictional, reached the top slot. The movie became the most-watched Netflix film of all time.

Charlie Kirk Assassinated

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on September 10 while at Utah Valley University. Kirk was speaking at an event organized by Turning Point USA, a conservative grassroots group he founded to mobilize conservative young people. Kirk’s assassination and the reaction to it exposed deep divisions within the country.

Operation Southern Spear

On November 13, the U.S. military officially launched Operation Southern Spear. Under the mission, the military began attacking small boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific that were allegedly carrying drugs to the United States. The attacks have killed more than 80 people and sparked international concern about their legality.

Government Shutdown Breaks Records

A U.S. government shutdown began on October 1 and lasted 45 days, making it the longest in history. It rattled stock markets, forced 730,000 federal employees to work without pay, cancelled thousands of flights due to a stretched-thin FAA and left 42 million SNAP recipients without food benefits. The failure to reach a consensus cost the United States $11 billion in adjusted GDP.

Louvre Jewel Heist Becomes Internet Sensation

On October 19, four masked thieves stole jewels worth more than $100 million from the Louvre museum in Paris. The daytime heist shocked the world… and inspired masterful memes. A tiara that belonged to Empress Eugénie was later found damaged along the escape route, but the rest of the stolen goods remained at large. At least seven people were eventually arrested in connection with the theft.

Epstein Files Released

After months of delay and bitter discord, Congress passed and Trump signed legislation on November 19 compelling the Justice Department to release a body of documents detailing the criminal activities of American financier and convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The files offered a more detailed look at the wealthy and influential people—including Trump—who spent time with Epstein. 

Sudan’s Civil War Reaches Deadly Milestone

By November, the civil war in Sudan became the largest recorded and fastest displacement crisis in the world, with more than 12 million people forced to flee their homes.

School Shooting Shocks Brown University

A masked man murdered two students and injured nine when he opened fire in a crowded classroom of students preparing for their final exams on December 13. The Brown University campus was locked down for 12 hours.

Bondi Beach Hanukkah Massacre

On December 14, a father and son opened fire at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. At least 16 people were killed, including Holocaust survivor Alexander Kleytman and a 10-year-old child. Forty-two people were taken to the hospital. The shooting was deemed an act of terrorism that closed out a year of heightened antisemitic violence around the world.

Filmmaker David Lynch, famous for cult classics like “Twin Peaks” and the biopic Elephant Man, died in January at age 78.

In February, Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman was found dead alongside his wife, Betsy Arakawa, inside their New Mexico home. It was later determined that Hackman, who had been suffering from Alzheimer’s, died of heart disease. He was 95. His wife had died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

Boxing legend and entrepreneur George Foreman died in March at age 76. The following month, pro wrestler Hulk Hogan died of cardiac arrest at 71.

Virginia Giuffre, whose sexual assault allegations against Prince Andrew resulted in him being stripped of his titles, died by suicide in April. Her memoir about her abuse at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell was published posthumously in October, amplifying calls to release the Epstein files.

On June 11, Brian Wilson, co-founder of the iconic band the Beach Boys, died at 82.

Journalist Bill Moyers, who served as President Lyndon B. Johnson’s chief spokesman during the Vietnam War era, died in June at age 91.

Ozzy Osbourne, frontman of Black Sabbath-turned-reality TV star, died in July at age 76. He had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2003 and played a farewell show with Black Sabbath just weeks before his death.

Astronaut Jim Lovell, the celebrated commander of the harrowing Apollo 13 mission, died in August at 97.

In September, Hollywood legend Robert Redford, the multi-hyphenate actor, director, producer, activist and founder of the Sundance Film Festival, died in his sleep at 89.

Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, known for his unstructured designs for men and women that liberated them from restrictive tailoring, also died in September. He was 91.

Dr. Jane Goodall, the conservationist who devoted her life to studying chimpanzees, died at 91 on October 1 while on a speaking tour. Her discovery that humans weren’t the only species to make and use tools dismantled long-held scientific beliefs, reshaping humanity’s understanding of its place in the natural world.

Diane Keaton, star of classic movies like Annie Hall and The First Wives Club, died in October at age 79 from pneumonia.

Val Kilmer, famous for his roles as Ice Man in Top Gun and Batman in Batman Forever, died from pneumonia at 65.

In November, Dick Cheney, former vice president under George W. Bush and prime architect of the “War on Terror” that led America into war with Iraq, died at 84.

Later that month, playwright Tom Stoppard, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of “Shakespeare in Love,” died at age 88.

On December 5, Frank O. Gehry, one of the most unique talents in American architecture, died at his home in Santa Monica, California. He was 96.

Later in December, director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead from apparent stab wounds in their Los Angeles home. Reiner was known for the films The Princess Bride, A Few Good Men and When Harry Met Sally.